Malta and Slovakia continue to block the European Union’s 18th sanctions package against Russia. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico previously stated that the European Commission offered his country “guarantees” regarding the abandonment of Russian gas in exchange for supporting this sanctions package.
The EU’s top diplomat reported that Slovakia’s position remains unchanged.
“Prime Minister Fico, in a statement yesterday, said that he has shared a draft letter from the European Commission, which addresses our concerns about RePower EU, with all relevant Slovak political parties. It is currently under discussion.”
Another interlocutor noted that, unfortunately, it is unlikely that this sanctions package will be adopted today. During the meeting, ministers did not vote on the sanctions but only discussed them.
The Maltese delegation has so far not provided any comments regarding its position.
Earlier, Fico promised to send a written proposal from the EU with guarantees for Slovakia to the leaders of all political parties in the country and is awaiting their response, but did not specify the details of these guarantees.
“The obsession with Russia is so great that we have no chance of forcing the Commission to withdraw its gas proposal. Not to mention that the European Commission will push it through even if we vote against it a hundred times.”
– Robert Fico
Malta, in turn, opposes lowering the price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, arguing the importance of the shipping industry to its economy.
What is known about the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Russia
In June 2025, the European Commission presented the 18th sanctions package, which includes new restrictions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors. The sanctions also cover transactions related to the Nord Stream project.
Energy and gas:
- Ban on all transactions related to Nord Stream 1 and 2: EU operators cannot conduct direct or indirect deals through these pipelines.
- The price cap on oil products has been lowered from $60 to $45 per barrel to make it harder for Russia to generate revenue.
- Expansion of the “shadow fleet”: 77 more tankers that transported oil outside the law have been added to the sanctions list.
- Ban on importing oil products made from Russian oil to prevent sanctions evasion through third countries.
Finance and banking sector:
- Transformation of SWIFT restrictions into a complete ban on transactions for 22 Russian banks and third-country operators that help circumvent sanctions.
- Imposition of sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and its subsidiaries.