EU envoys fail to agree on 15th package of sanctions against Russia – Reuters
Representatives of the European Union failed to approve the 15th package of sanctions against Russia today, December 6.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by Reuters with reference to diplomats.
According to the diplomats, two member states blocked the adoption due to disagreements over the extension of the deadline for European companies to withdraw investments from Russia.
It is noted that the EU members will return to consider the package later.
It is reported that within the package, there were debates on the extension of the EU exception, which allows the Czechs to continue importing diesel fuel and other products derived from Russian oil and produced at a Slovak refinery.
While the Czechs have said they are not seeking an extension of their permit to import Russian oil fuel, Slovakia has sought to preserve the agreement, which expired on Thursday.
Slovakia's Slovnaft refinery, owned by Hungary's MOL, is a significant exporter of diesel fuel produced from Russian crude to the Czech Republic. Czech officials have said that a six-month extension could be accepted.
The 27 EU countries have banned most oil imports from Russia following the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. But the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary have been granted an exemption from the sanctions due to the lack of other sources of supply.
