The European Union failed for a second day to approve a new package of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday as Slovakia continued to seek concessions over gas supplies, four EU diplomats told Reuters.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, criticising the EU's plan to phase out Russian gas by 1 January 2028 under the REPowerEU strategy and urging a delay in voting on the EU's 18th sanctions package against Russia.

EU ambassadors on Wednesday, June 16, failed to agree on a new sanctions package against Russia. They are expected to reconvene by the end of the week, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent Rikard Jozwiak reports.