Slovakia Lifts Block on Russia Sanctions, Accepts EU Guarantees

Slovakia accepted guarantees from the European Union’s executive arm to limit the fallout from a planned cutoff of Russian gas supplies and, in exchange, will lift its veto on the bloc’s 18th sanctions package against Moscow.

While Slovakia did not oppose the sanctions themselves, it had been blocking the adoption of the latest EU package since June, demanding that the European Commission first provide assurances to offset the potential impact of a separate proposal to halt Russian gas imports.