Brussels 13.06.2026 Today the EU top diplomats failed to endorse a new round of sanctions against Russia. just days before the bloc’s oil price cap is set to jump above the price of Russian crude.
The package has been blocked by Greek rejection of a intention to phase out shipments of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), and Austria’s request to grant to Raiffeisen Bank the permission to access sanctioned assets to compensate it for fines incurred in Russia.
The EU’s 21st sanctions package also includes a proposal to freeze the EU’s oil price cap, which bans European companies from providing services, including as insurance, to Russian tankers selling oil above an fixed by EU price.
The cap is set at $44 per barrel but will rise to $58 per barrel in the middle of this week above the c market price of Urals crude, Russia’s main export blend.
“I regret that we don’t have an agreement on the 21st package, although I must say that we are quite close,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said after the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels.
‼️The EU is preparing one of its largest sanctions packages against Russia since 2022
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced that today's measures, together with the upcoming 21st sanctions package, will add 250 individuals and entities to the Russia sanctions list.… pic.twitter.com/NXcXcKzDvE
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 13, 2026
“Our aim is to have an agreement. If we don’t have an agreement, then we’ll start to work on Plan B. But right now we work on Plan A – for Wednesday” she added.
Moreover Kallas added that she could not provide “any guarantees” that the package will be approved before Wednesday’s deadline.
We’re sanctioning Russia at speed and scale.
Today’s measures, together with the upcoming 21st sanctions package, will add 250 individuals and entities to the Russia sanctions regime.
This is our biggest round of individual designations since Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion,… pic.twitter.com/zjWxbrbunH
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) July 13, 2026
The EU ambassadors will convene in Brussels tomorrow in a last minumte attempt to endorse the package before the oil price cap increases. Sanctions require the approval of all 27 member states.
The call by Kallas to conclude the package before July 15 was also echoed by Helen McEntee, Ireland’s foreign minister, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
‼️The EU is preparing one of its largest sanctions packages against Russia since 2022
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced that today's measures, together with the upcoming 21st sanctions package, will add 250 individuals and entities to the Russia sanctions list.… pic.twitter.com/NXcXcKzDvE
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 13, 2026
“I think what’s very clear from the room is that there is a determination from all member states that we would agree the strongest possible package moving forward, and that we would do this before Wednesday,” McEntee said.
Separately from the package, the EU approved 250 listings of Russian individuals, including those accused of participating in cyberattacks against the EU. Kallas said the listings constituted the bloc’s “biggest round of individual sanctions” since 2022.
