The Minister for European Affairs of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, Adam Szłapka, downplayed the prospect of a full agreement today at the EU summit when asked about the new EU sanctions package against Russia and defense funding, UNN reports, citing Politico.
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Szłapka, responding to whether he believes there is support at the EU summit for a compromise on complex issues such as defense funding and the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, "did not express the optimism expressed by others in the EU Council."
"We are working on it," he said. "We'll see."
Poland is responsible for setting the agenda and negotiating an agreement for the remainder of its presidency, which ends next week.
The main obstacles, as indicated, are how countries can borrow funds to pay for military equipment and how to squeeze the Kremlin's military budget with new sanctions on Russian fuel.
Meanwhile, Sweden's Minister for European Affairs, Jessica Rosencrantz, said that while she has "high hopes" for a sanctions agreement today, "it is a conversation between Slovakia and the European Commission."
Slovakia, which is dependent on Russian gas, has consistently opposed the latest package of sanctions, joining forces with neighboring Hungary to delay the measures.