Fico Blocks EU Sanctions Against Russia, Demands Concessions on Energy and Auto Industry
BRUSSELS — Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has once again wielded his veto to block a new round of European Union sanctions against Russia, setting the stage for a potential clash at next week’s leaders’ summit, according to Euro News. Austria, too, has emerged as a possible hurdle, creating fresh uncertainty over the bloc’s response to Moscow.
The proposed package, in development for nearly a month, targets Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil infrastructure, the so-called “shadow fleet,” cryptocurrency platforms, and the movements of Russian diplomats across EU countries. After weeks of technical and legal fine-tuning, the measures were expected to reach a final vote among the 27 EU ambassadors until Slovakia confirmed its opposition on Wednesday.
Fico told European Council President António Costa that he was “astonished” that Ukraine would dominate the summit’s agenda. “I am not interested in dealing with new sanctions packages against Russia until I see political instructions for the European Commission on how to address the crisis in the automotive industry and high energy prices, which are making the European economy completely uncompetitive,” he said.
The draft summit conclusions mention energy prices and Europe’s “traditional industries,” including automotive, but only in general terms. Fico said Slovakia will present “substantially more concrete proposals” on these sectors when leaders meet on 23 October.
Fico’s strategy mirrors his previous approach to sanctions: linking unrelated EU issues to extract concessions. Slovakia, like Hungary, remains heavily reliant on Russian energy and has resisted the transition away from Moscow, slated for completion by 2027. During the prior round, Fico waived his veto after receiving non-binding assurances from the European Commission on energy support.
Now, the Slovak premier is expanding his focus to the EU’s car-making sector, objecting to legislation banning the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2035. Last week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged to resist the 2035 cutoff, reflecting broader conservative pushback.
Meanwhile, Austria has requested that EU sanctions on a Russian company, Rasperia Trading, be lifted to compensate Raiffeisen Bank International for a €2.1 billion Moscow court ruling. Vienna insists the move safeguards Austrian business interests without undermining sanctions against Russia, though other member states fear it could set a dangerous precedent.
As the EU prepares for next week’s summit, tensions simmer between solidarity with Ukraine and internal economic pressures, leaving leaders to navigate a delicate balance between principle and pragmatism.
