Two EU diplomats told POLITICO the European Commission was taking a tougher and more uncompromising approach to this round of sanctions. While it would normally avoid suggesting ideas that would lead to a veto, this time the EU executive appears to be less concerned.
At least von der Leyen can fly into the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada, on the back of a big sanctions announcement — putting the ball in Washington’s court to raise the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table and make peace with Ukraine.
So far, however, U.S. President Donald Trump has shown little interest in a proposal pitched by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham to hit countries that buy energy from Russia with a 500 percent tariff.
“It’s definitely different,” one of them said of the latest Commission proposal. “They are ambitious and are also saying what they want to do [in a press conference]. If there’s no deal, von der Leyen risks looking weak.”
The crunch is likely to come later this month, in the countdown to an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels on June 26-27.
The second diplomat assured the Commission “wouldn’t propose if they don’t see options” for the package to be adopted. They were unfazed by Fico’s threats. “We have 17 packages and don’t see any reason why we can’t get another one.”
Both diplomats expected a deal is possible, because behind closed doors Hungary and Slovakia were not as vocal as in public.
Gabriel Gavin reported from Gdańsk. Koen Verhelst reported from Brussels.
