The EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) will hold an extraordinary meeting in Brussels on Sunday 13 July, during which EU member state ambassadors will discuss the draft of the 18th package of EU sanctions against Russia, as well as US tariff plans targeting EU exports.

Source: a European official familiar with the preparations of the meeting, as reported by European Pravda

Details: EU ambassadors are meeting in Brussels for an extraordinary session to address new EU sanctions against Russia and the proposed 30% US tariffs on European exports.

The official told European Pravda that the Coreper meeting will begin at 15:30 (16:30 Kyiv time). 

The source added that the issue of tariffs and economic relations with the United States was already being discussed on Friday 11 July, and that the discussion will continue today.

As for the sanctions, much of the debate will focus on the price cap on Russian oil and the European Commission’s proposal to make it dynamic, meaning it would automatically adjust in line with fluctuations in the market price of oil.

Background: 

• During the Coreper meeting on Friday 11 July, member states failed to approve the 18th sanctions package due to opposition from Slovakia.
• The following day, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that he aims to reach an agreement with the European Commission by Tuesday 15 July, on guarantees that Slovakia will not suffer from a full phase-out of Russian gas – a development that would in turn lift the blockade on the adoption of the 18th sanctions package against Russia.
• A meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU is scheduled to take place in Brussels on 15 July.
• Slovakia is blocking the sanctions to obtain guarantees from the European Commission on the consequences of a complete rejection of Russian gas from 2028.

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