Brussels holds back 19th Russia sanctions round

The European Union’s 19th sanctions package against Russia, initially expected to be presented on September 17, has been delayed, according to an EU diplomat and a national official cited by POLITICO’s Camille Gijs. 

The item has been dropped from the Coreper II agenda as U.S. President Donald Trump and Brussels apply mounting pressure on Slovakia and Hungary to reduce their reliance on Russian oil.

Capitals were informed of the change late Monday afternoon, though no new date was provided for the sanctions’ unveiling. A European Commission spokesperson declined to comment on the postponement.

At the same time, EU energy diplomats are holding talks on the latest revisions to Brussels’ proposed ban on Russian gas, as they attempt to finalise an agreement. The Commission had introduced a sweeping legal proposal in July aimed at phasing out EU reliance on Russian energy entirely by 2027.

Trump has recently increased pressure on European allies. Over the weekend, he demanded that NATO members halt imports of Russian oil, reinforcing calls made by his energy envoy Chris Wright for the EU to accelerate its phaseout timeline. While Trump’s intervention has provided additional leverage on Hungary and Slovakia, two countries most dependent on Moscow, EU diplomats suggest the bloc will not move the 2027 target date forward nor add a formal oil ban to the legislation.

“If Trump wants EU countries to stop buying Russian oil, all he has to do is pick up the phone and call Slovakia’s Robert Fico and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán,” one diplomat remarked. “These are his friends, he could just call them.” The same diplomat also pointed out that Trump’s ultimatum would demand a drastic shift from Türkiye, which imports 57 percent of its oil from Russia — a change analysts say is highly improbable.

Observers remain skeptical about Trump’s push. “This looks more like a stunt than a good-faith offer from Trump — he has dodged confrontation with Putin at every turn,” said Noah Barkin, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund.

Analysts also view Trump’s actions as an attempt to promote U.S. energy exports, particularly as a new wave of American LNG is set to reach global markets next year, while the domestic oil and gas industry faces layoffs due to falling crude prices.

Meanwhile, Trump’s additional demand for Europe to impose tariffs of 50 to 100 per cent on China has been dismissed by experts. In a detailed review of his proposals, the idea was rated as “forget about it.”

By Tamilla Hasanova