Kallas: No agreement reached on 20th EU sanctions package against Russia

At a meeting of the Council of Foreign Affairs, EU member states failed to reach an agreement on the 20th sanctions package against Russia, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said during a press conference following the meeting of EU foreign ministers.

According to Report's European Bureau, she said the outcome was not the message the EU wanted to send ahead of the anniversary of Russia"s full-scale invasion of Ukraine: "This is a failure and a signal we did not want to send today, but the work continues. Everyone understands that diplomacy is preferable to war."

Kallas emphasized that the EU must provide Ukraine with compelling assurances that member states will continue their support and increase pressure on Russia to end the war.

She noted that the EU has faced similar situations before and ultimately managed to find a resolution. "That is why we are negotiating at different levels with our Hungarian and Slovak colleagues to advance this package. Of course, it is not easy. It never is. But the work continues. I deeply regret that we did not reach an agreement today, given that tomorrow marks the somber anniversary of the start of this war," she said.

Earlier, Hungary and Slovakia vetoed the adoption of the 20th sanctions package, which EU countries had planned to approve on the fourth anniversary of the Russian-Ukrainian war.