Slovakia blocks extension of EU sanctions against individuals linked to violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity
EU ambassadors failed once again on 9 September to agree on extending sanctions against over 2,600 individuals and legal persons linked to violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity. Slovakia is insisting on the removal of two Russian oligarchs from the list and is the only member state pushing for a six-month extension rather than a one-year term. Diplomats are continuing consultations ahead of the 15 September deadline.
Key points
- On 9 September the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) again failed to extend the individual sanctions regime for a one-year term due to Slovakia's opposition.
- An earlier attempt in Coreper on 2 September also failed because of Slovakia's position.
- Slovakia is demanding that two Russian oligarchs be removed from the sanctions list, which covers more than 2,600 individuals and legal persons.
- Slovakia is the only EU member state insisting on a six-month extension instead of the proposed one-year term.
- The regime provides for asset freezes, a ban on providing funds or economic resources, and an entry/transit ban for sanctioned individuals.
- The EU Council last extended this sanctions regime in March 2026; diplomats are continuing consultations ahead of a 15 September deadline.
- In June EU leaders agreed for the first time to extend separate economic sanctions against Russia by 12 months rather than 6, a shift that became possible after Viktor Orbán's electoral defeat.
Why it matters
EU sanctions decisions require unanimity, so a single member state can block renewal. The package in question targets a large number of individuals and entities tied to violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity; failure to extend it on time would weaken one of the EU's main restrictive measures linked to Russia's war against Ukraine.
What happened
On 9 September the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives failed once again to agree on a one-year extension of the EU sanctions regime covering more than 2,600 individuals and legal persons linked to violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity. An earlier Coreper meeting on 2 September also failed to reach agreement. Slovakia is blocking the renewal, demanding that two Russian oligarchs be removed from the list and pushing for a six-month extension rather than the proposed one-year term; it is the only member state holding out for a six-month cycle. Bratislava has not withdrawn those demands, and diplomats say the specific names under discussion are not being disclosed because of the confidentiality of the process. Slovakia's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs said the regular six-month review is still under discussion and is expected to be concluded by 15 September 2026, while declining to detail its negotiation position. Diplomats are continuing consultations to try to reach agreement by that deadline. The EU Council last extended this regime in March 2026. In a separate track, in June EU leaders for the first time agreed to extend the bloc's broader economic sanctions against Russia by 12 months instead of six, a shift that became possible after Viktor Orbán's defeat in the Hungarian parliamentary elections; during Orbán's tenure Hungary regularly blocked or delayed EU sanctions decisions and was frequently joined by Slovakia.