EU Talks on Latest Russia Sanctions End Without Agreement
“Unfortunately, we did not reach an agreement on the 20th sanctions package. This is a setback and message we didn't want to send today, but the work continues,” Kallas said. She noted that discussions are continuing with authorities in Hungary and Slovakia in an attempt to move the proposal forward.
According to statements cited in reports, Kallas characterized the reversal from a prior understanding among EU leaders at the European Council as “regrettable,” arguing that it breaches the “sincere cooperation clause” embedded in EU treaties.
She added that Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen are expected to address the matter directly with Viktor Orban, who has voiced opposition to the proposed measures.
Initially, the EU had intended to finance parts of the sanctions effort using frozen Russian assets. However, Kallas signaled that if the current strategy proves unsuccessful, the bloc may revisit that earlier approach.
Turning to Ukraine, she underlined that diplomatic solutions remain preferable to continued fighting. Yet she expressed frustration that, despite more than a year of negotiations, no ceasefire has been achieved as the conflict approaches its fourth year.
"It's not Ukraine that is the obstacle to peace, Russia is. We must flip the script from pressure on Ukraine to surrender territory to what Russia must do to meet the basic conditions for just and loss of peace," she said, cautioning that Moscow’s “maximalist demands cannot be met with minimal responses.”
Kallas also announced a decision to cap the size of Russia’s diplomatic mission to the EU at 40 individuals.
Additionally, she said the bloc would act to block “hundreds of thousands of former Russian soldiers” from entering the Schengen zone, aiming to prevent “war criminals and sabotage roaming European streets.”
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