Merz asks Slovakia to join18th sanctions package against Russia

German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz is calling on Slovakia to vote in favor of the 18th package of European Union sanctions against Russia.

"Our main political obligation is to continue and increase pressure on Russia to bring Putin to the negotiating table. And I want to be honest. We are currently preparing the 18th package of European Union sanctions against Russia. And only one EU member state is not with us yet," Merz said at the plenary session of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome (URC2025) on Thursday.

He stressed: "I ask Slovakia and its Prime Minister to give us the opportunity to vote in favor of this 18th package of sanctions."