Nine EU countries are ready to block attempts to introduce economic sanctions against Russia at the summit on July 16.
"France, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, and the chairing EU country Italy see no reason in the current environment for the introduction of sectoral trade and economic sanctions against the Russian Federation and will be against the measure at the summit," ITAR-TASS quoted a diplomatic source at the Permanent Representation to the EU as saying.
"This is how the current situation looks like at the EU Committee on the level of permanent representatives, which is usually quite accurately reflects the balance of power ahead of the summit," said the diplomat. According to him, there are other countries that do not support sanctions, whose position is "more nuanced."
He recalled that the decision of any restrictive measures of trade and economic nature against Russia could only be taken unanimously by all 28 EU countries. Thus, any country of the community has the right of veto in this matter.