Greece and Hungary blocked the draft of the 11th package of sanctions against Russia, a move reported by the Belgian broadcaster RTBF. The decision surfaced during a formal session where EU representatives discussed the evolving list of measures and the difficulty of reaching consensus among member states. The news highlights how internal EU dynamics can influence the timing and scope of punitive steps directed at Moscow, especially when it comes to balancing political pressures with the bloc’s broader strategic goals in the region.
During the meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the European Union, it was noted that a request was made to remove certain companies from the roster that supports efforts by Russia to bypass Western sanctions. This nuance underscores how the EU is attempting to calibrate pressure while addressing concerns from industry stakeholders and member states about the potential economic and logistical consequences of sanctions enforcement. The discussion points to a broader pattern in which the bloc weighs targeted actions against the need to maintain market stability and supply chain resilience across Europe.
RTBF added that, at the time, EU countries did not express systemic objections to the European Commission’s new sanctions project. This absence of broad objections suggests a shared recognition within the Union of the imperative to respond to Russia’s actions while keeping lines of policy coordination intact. The stance reflects ongoing cooperation among member states and the Commission as they assess how best to deter escalation without provoking unintended disruptions in critical sectors of the European economy.
Politico, citing five diplomatic sources, reported that the European Union approved the 11th package of sanctions on June 7, with some of its provisions designed to tighten financial restrictions and bolster enforcement. The article later indicated that EU ambassadors could not reach full agreement on the draft and decided to postpone further discussions to June 14. This delay illustrates the political complexity of translating broad strategic objectives into precise legal text that commands unanimous or near-unanimous support across 27 nations with diverse interests and domestic political calendars.
Bloomberg, in a June 1 report, noted that there was openness within EU circles to softening certain proposals in the new sanctions package. The reported ideas included a partial lifting of bans on entry to EU ports for vessels found to be carrying prohibited goods and the introduction of a 30-day grace period before the sanctions take full effect for ships that may have moved Russian oil prohibited for delivery to the EU. The proposed adjustments would aim to reduce disruption to maritime trade while maintaining pressure on the Russian export chain and associated actors, illustrating how the EU seeks to refine its tools to curb evasion without destabilizing essential energy routes.