Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced he will maintain his veto on a new package of sanctions against Russia, dealing a significant setback to EU leaders. Fico expressed concerns over the European Commission’s proposed phase-out of Russian fossil fuels, fearing it could lead to costly lawsuits if Slovakia breaks up its long-term gas contract with Gazprom.
Fico met with Ursula von der Leyen to discuss his reservations, but remained unconvinced by the Commission’s argument that the bans would act as “force majeure” to avoid damages in court. Instead, Fico called for the issue to be resolved first, suggesting a solution before discussing further sanctions packages.
The EU leaders were unable to reach an agreement on how to proceed with the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which found indications that Israel had breached its human rights obligations. The summit saw sharp divisions among member states, with no specific outcome reached. Instead, leaders asked their foreign ministers to continue the internal process in Brussels on July 15.
Slovenia’s Prime Minister has raised the prospect of forming a coalition of willing countries to put “real pressure” on Israel if the EU bloc fails to act as one. The delay is seen as a growing source of exasperation among EU leaders.
Source: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/06/26/eu-summit-viktor-orban-vows-to-veto-ukraines-accession