EU Fails to Agree on New Russia Sanctions Package After Hours of Talks

European Union member states failed to reach agreement on a 21st package of sanctions against Russia following hours of negotiations in Brussels. The main sticking point is a demand by Greece over the transit of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). Athens is seeking an exemption or accommodation related to the passage of Russian LNG through its territory or infrastructure, a position that has blocked consensus among the bloc's 27 members. The EU has been progressively tightening economic restrictions on Russia since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with each successive sanctions package requiring unanimous agreement among member states — a process that frequently gives smaller or more energy-dependent countries leverage to push for carve-outs protecting their economic interests. The impasse highlights the ongoing tension within the EU between maintaining a united front against Russia and accommodating the divergent energy dependencies of individual member states.