European Union and Green Party leaders have expressed outrage at the outcome of the EU summit without new Russian sanctions.
Manfred Weber, the European People’s Party (EVP) party and faction chief, condemned the lack of new sanctions, stating, “Putin can thank his man in Bratislava.” He continued, “The blockade of further Russian sanctions cannot be the last word. Fico cannot hold the entire EU hostage.” Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico had blocked a new sanctions package.
Anton Hofreiter, the chairman of the European Affairs Committee in the German Bundestag, also expressed his discontent, saying, “The fact that Fico can manipulate the heads of state shows the EU’s weakness. This is also a consequence of the embarrassing and subservient behavior of Europeans towards Trump at the NATO summit.” Hofreiter called on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to take on more “leadership responsibility for the interests of the EU” with “other responsible Europeans.