EU postpones review of extension of sanctions against Russians until 9 September
The EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) has failed to agree on extending individual sanctions against more than 3,000 Russian individuals and companies responsible for violating Ukraine's territorial integrity, and postponed consideration of the issue until 9 September.
Source: European Pravda correspondent in Brussels, citing their own EU sources
Details: EU ambassadors in Brussels failed to agree on extending individual sanctions against more than 3,000 Russian companies and individuals. The restrictions are due to expire on 15 September.
"On 2 September, EU ambassadors in Brussels discussed extending the sanctions regime for violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity. Coreper decided to return to the issue in a week," one source told European Pravda.
The source pointed out that the restrictive measures apply to more than 3,000 individuals and legal entities.
Another European Pravda source said the problem was Slovakia's position. It is not ready to extend the individual sanctions for one year, as proposed by the Irish presidency, and supports the traditional six-month extension instead.
Another source said Slovakia has also proposed removing several Russian individuals from the sanctions list, although their names have not yet been disclosed.
Background:
- On 25 June, the Council of the European Union extended the EU's restrictive economic measures in response to Russia's ongoing actions aimed at destabilising the situation in Ukraine for a further 12 months, until 31 July 2027.
- At the European Council summit on 18 June, EU leaders agreed for the first time since the start of Russia's aggression to extend economic sanctions against Russia for 12 months rather than six, as had previously been the case. The previous six-month term gave individual capitals, including Budapest, an opportunity to bargain over the issue. The change became possible after Viktor Orbán's defeat in Hungary's parliamentary elections.
- During Orbán's premiership, Hungary regularly blocked EU sanctions and other decisions, demanding various concessions. Slovakia also occasionally joined in these blockades.
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