The 17th package of EU sanctions against Russia is "fully agreed" and turned out to be a "minimum consensus" amid fears of a veto from Hungary or Slovakia, Handelsblatt reports, writes UNN.
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As noted, the 17th package of EU sanctions, which the heads of government declared particularly "tough", is perceived in Brussels more as a minimum consensus, especially since the preparation of the package was carried out for several weeks, and the decision on it was made only after the expiration of the ultimatum.
"The package is fully agreed," said an EU diplomat, adding that no controversial proposals were included in it. Otherwise, Hungary or Slovakia would have vetoed the proposal, the publication notes.
According to the treaties, EU member states can only make decisions on sanctions unanimously - a circumstance that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly used to block proposals that are more painful for Russia, such as a complete ban on imports of Russian oil or gas.
"We have reached the limit of what we can do with sanctions," said an EU diplomat. Thus, as the publication points out, "the sanctions package will essentially not go beyond the already adopted 16th sanctions package." Several more oil tankers are expected to be added to the list of sanctioned "shadow fleet".