The European Union has postponed the vote on its 18th sanctions package against Russia, citing resistance from Hungary and Slovakia. The delay is attributed to growing concerns over energy security in these two countries, which have voiced opposition to the proposed measures. With the adoption of new sanctions requiring unanimous agreement from all 27 EU member states, the resistance from Budapest and Bratislava has led to the removal of the issue from the agenda to avoid a formal rejection.
The European Commission had intended to adopt the proposal using trade law mechanisms to bypass potential vet, but negotiations between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico failed to produce a compromise. Meanwhile, the European Council President Antonio Costa stated that the 18th sanctions package remains in progress, while some sanctions are set to be extended beyond their current expiration date.