A deal is still broadly expected, but more concessions may be needed before ambassadors can get it over the line. Seven people working on the package told POLITICO that several measures had already been weakened or dropped altogether.
The package, presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in June, is the 21st since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After 20 previous rounds, diplomats say the EU is running out of easy targets and increasingly colliding with powerful national interests. Sanctions require the unanimous backing of all 27 EU countries.
“There’s no more low-hanging fruit, with 20 packages done. You’ll bump into individual member state interests more, so you have to find a balance,” said an EU diplomat involved in the discussions, granted anonymity to discuss the confidential talks, like others in this article.
Greece has so far refused to support the 21st package because of a ban on EU companies shipping Russian liquefied natural gas to third countries. Athens oversees the world’s largest merchant fleet and is concerned about the impact on a Greek company that operates ice-breaking tankers that export Russian LNG.
Greece’s ambassador warned that the measure could prompt vessels to reflag and move to jurisdictions where the rules would be even harder to enforce, according to two further diplomats involved in the discussions.
“We’re trying to find a way out of this, but what this [issue with Greece] shows is that we’re starting to collide with some key economic interests,” said a fourth diplomat.