Reuters: The EU ambassadors could not agree on the 15th package of sanctions against Russia

The representatives of the countries of the European Union (EU) could not approve the 15th package of sanctions against Russia, which provided for the extension of the deadline for the Czech Republic to import Russian oil products, which come mainly through Slovakia.

This was reported to Reuters by diplomatic sources.

According to diplomats, the two member states blocked the adoption of the package due to disagreements over an extension of the deadline given to European companies to withdraw investments from Russia. The EU members will return to the package later.

The package also includes sanctions on tankers carrying Russian oil.

As part of the package, they discussed the issue of extending the EU exemption, which allows the Czechs to continue importing diesel fuel and other products obtained from Russian oil and produced at a Slovak oil refinery.

While the Czechs said they did not seek an extension of the permit to import Russian petroleum fuel, Slovakia sought to preserve the arrangement, which expired on December 5.

The Slovak oil refinery “Slovnaft”, owned by the Hungarian company MOL, is a major exporter of diesel fuel produced from Russian oil to the Czech Republic. Czech officials said a six-month extension was acceptable.

• The 27-nation EU has banned most oil imports from Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. But the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary were exempted from the sanctions due to a lack of other sources of supply.
• However, the Czech Republic is upgrading the pipeline from Italy to Germany to transport more oil that way and to completely wean off Russian oil by the second half of 2025.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.