Also, in Monday’s edition: Russia sanctions, Gaza funding, enlargement, social media ban
NO DEAL YET ON RUSSIA SANCTIONS: It’s a big day for Ukraine as Emmanuel Macron hosts Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the entire Coalition of the Willing in Paris to further bolster the country’s security.
Momentum is weaker in Brussels, where EU ambassadors failed to agree on the latest Russia sanctions package at a special Coreper meeting on Sunday. The remaining disagreements are about the transit of Russian LNG to non-EU countries and a legal fix Austria is pursuing at the EU level relating to Raiffeisen Bank’s operations in Russia. Greece objected to a proposed 18-month delay to the ban on transiting Russian LNG.
Foreign ministers will seek to iron out the final issues today, and diplomats are optimistic about reaching a deal at the next Coreper. If the EU fails to agree on the package by Wednesday, Russia could inadvertently benefit. The EU’s oil price cap will leap up on 15 July unless the package, which includes a temporary freeze, is agreed.
You’re reading Rapporteur on Monday 13 July. This is Eddy Wax in Brussels, joined by Nicoletta Ionta.
