15 July 2025 — The European Union failed on Monday to approve its proposed 18th package of sanctions against Russia after Slovakia and Malta withheld support, demanding concessions related to energy imports and oil pricing mechanisms. The blockage delays efforts to further tighten restrictions aimed at weakening Moscow’s capacity to wage war on Ukraine.
The package, negotiated over recent weeks, was designed to target Russia’s revenues from the energy and defence sectors. It includes measures to lower the price cap on Russian oil, ban transactions with companies operating the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, and sanction banks found to be evading earlier restrictions.
Slovakia links approval to long-term gas contract
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has conditioned his government’s support on guarantees that Slovakia may continue purchasing Russian gas beyond 2028. Bratislava is seeking an exemption allowing it to fulfil its contract with Gazprom until 2034 — a move the European Commission has firmly rejected. Officials argue that such a carve-out would fundamentally undermine the purpose of the sanctions framework.
“Gas cannot become a bargaining chip with a dictatorship,” a Ukrainian official commented, warning that granting such exceptions risks creating sanctions loopholes for short-term national gain, ultimately financing Russia’s war effort.
Malta raises concern over oil price cap
Malta, meanwhile, is pushing back against proposals to reduce the oil price ceiling, citing concerns over maritime industry impacts. As a key flag state for tankers operating in global waters, Valletta has repeatedly voiced apprehension about the enforcement and economic repercussions of tightened price controls on Russian crude.
Kyiv warns of EU credibility at stake
Ukraine has criticised the delay, calling the vetoes a blow to EU unity and a gift to the Kremlin. Officials in Kyiv argue that blocking collective decisions in times of war amounts to de facto sabotage of Europe’s security interests.
“By refusing to back the sanctions, Slovakia and Malta are not acting in neutrality — they are enabling Moscow’s strategy of division,” said a statement issued by Ukrainian diplomats.
Kyiv is calling on EU institutions to consider reforming decision-making rules, especially in matters of strategic security, to prevent what it calls “political blackmail” by individual member states. Ukraine also urged the bloc to consider political accountability mechanisms for governments that obstruct collective action related to European defence and democracy.
Broader implications for EU sanctions architecture
The deadlock raises concerns in Brussels that other member states may follow suit if Slovakia’s push for bilateral carve-outs succeeds. According to analysts, the case may set a dangerous precedent, weakening the EU’s sanctions regime and emboldening Kremlin efforts to fragment the West.
“Sanctions are not just a financial tool,” one EU diplomat noted. “They are a test of political cohesion. Undermining them undermines Europe itself.”
Ukraine insists the package is essential to continue raising the cost of war for Moscow, arguing that sustained economic pressure remains one of the few tools available to curb Russia’s aggression. While negotiations with Slovakia and Malta are expected to continue in the coming days, the impasse highlights the fragility of the EU’s consensus-based foreign policy system at a moment of growing geopolitical strain.
