Slovakia now alone in threatening to veto Russia sanctions at EU summit

LUXEMBOURG - Slovakia has declined to lift its veto on more Russia sanctions ahead of this week's EU summit, amid fresh concern over the US vision for Ukraine.

Slovak foreign minister Juraj Blanar said in Luxembourg on Monday (October 20) that EU leaders would have to give Slovakia written promises on lowering energy prices and protecting its car factories before it agreed to the 19th round of Russia sanctions.

"That is why we are in close contact with the European Commission and... working on the [summit] conclusions," he said.

EU ambassadors discussed Russia sanctions in Brussels later Monday evening.

Austria left Slovakia as the final hurdle to overcome after Vienna, over the weekend, dropped demands to bail out an Austrian bank using EUR 2 billion of frozen Russian assets.

"But Slovakia has said they want to discuss that [the Russia veto] at the summit, so not sure what could come of the meetings," an EU diplomat said.

Latvian foreign minister Baiba Braze said in Luxembourg on Monday that Slovakia's veto was "unacceptable", as cars and Russia sanctions were "totally different issues".

The Slovak veto was "upsetting", said Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys.

Ministers also rallied round Ukraine after US president Donald Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelensky to cede territory to Russia.

Ukraine "doesn't need the West's help to surrender," said Finnish foreign minister Elina Valtonen.

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said of the Trump reports: "If the aggressor [Russia] gets what it wants, it's a negative sign to other aggressors around the world".

Latvia's Braze noted that the EU had a geopolitical card to play due to its control of more than EUR 200 billion of frozen Russian assets.

"Everybody understands that those assets won't be going back to Russia," she said.

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the money would be used to help Ukraine buy arms, in a move expected by the end of the year.

Slovakia's populist prime minister Robert Fico has a track record of dropping Russia vetoes in return for face-saving declarations.

And Kallas predicted on Monday that the 19th round "will not be the last one", despite Trump's new peace talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Trump is planning to meet Putin in Budapest to discuss a Ukraine deal.

But France's Barrot said: "Putin's presence has no sense [there] unless he's ready for peace".

And Lithuania's Budrys said his country, for one, would not let Putin, who is on an EU visa-ban list, use its airspace.

"I cannot imagine him crossing our airspace... there are other ways. If he wants to get there I would look for alternatives," Budrys said.