The EU failed to approve the 15th package of anti-Russian sanctions due to two countries

The European Union failed to approve the 15th package of sanctions against Russia today due to the position of two member states.

This was reported by Reuters, though the agency did not specify which countries blocked the adoption of the measures.

However, Reuters did cite the reason for their actions: the countries opposed the package due to disagreements over extending the time allotted for European companies to exit the Russian market. The EU has decided to revisit this issue at a later date.

The proposed package also included sanctions against tankers transporting Russian oil and an extension for the Czech Republic to import petroleum products from Russia, primarily delivered via Slovakia. While Prague stated it was not seeking an extension for this exemption, which expired on Thursday, Bratislava advocated for its continuation.

The EU has banned most imports of oil from Russia, but exceptions were granted to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary due to their lack of alternatives.

Plans for the 15th package of anti-Russian sanctions were first revealed in mid-November, with reports indicating that it would target Russia’s shadow fleet.

Over the summer, media outlets reported that Russia was increasing its revenue from oil sales, as evidenced by the rise in shipments using its shadow tanker fleet.