EU Stalls on New Russia Sanctions Amid Internal Disagreements

The European Union has failed to reach a consensus on a new package of sanctions against Russia, casting doubt on their planned finalization for February 24.

Major disagreements center on a European Commission proposal for a complete ban on servicing the maritime transport of Russian oil. Italy and Hungary have raised concerns over plans to also target ports in Georgia and Indonesia, which Brussels believes Moscow uses to sell energy resources.

Further disputes emerged over the inclusion of a Cuban bank on the sanctions list, a move opposed by Italy and Spain. The Commission also proposed banning all cryptocurrency transactions with Russia to prevent sanctions circumvention.

The planned package was to add the company Bashneft and eight Russian oil refineries to the list, alongside a ban on the re-export of computer hardware. To break the deadlock, EU ambassadors may hold a meeting in the coming days, with foreign ministers set to discuss the issue on February 23.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has extended for one year American sanctions against Russia that were imposed following the 2014 annexation of Crimea.