The European Union on 18 July adopted its 18th package of sanctions against Russia after Slovakia withdrew its veto, ending a two-day standoff that had stalled the measures. The breakthrough followed last-minute talks in which Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico secured assurances on energy security, clearing the way for unanimous approval by EU ambassadors in Brussels. Fico had held up the package since 15 July, demanding a legal exemption to keep importing Russian gas until 2034 and safeguards against a separate EU plan to phase out Russian supplies by 2028. Brussels offered guarantees on price, supply disruptions and possible compensation, prompting the Slovak leader to announce that blocking the package would "no longer serve Slovak interests." Central to the new sanctions is a moving cap that will price Russian crude at 15% below its average market level—about $47.60 a barrel today—replacing the largely ineffective $60 ceiling set by the Group of Seven in 2022. The cap takes effect on 3 September with a 90-day transition for existing contracts. Britain said it will apply the same limit. The package also blacklists 105 additional tankers in Russia’s "shadow fleet," bans all transactions related to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, and ends the Czech Republic’s exemption from the EU’s seaborne-oil embargo. After a six-month grace period, the bloc will prohibit imports of petroleum products refined from Russian crude outside Russia, while expanding export and finance restrictions and sanctioning entities in China, Hong Kong, Turkey and India accused of helping Moscow circumvent earlier measures. EU foreign-policy chief Kaja Kallas called the measures “one of our strongest packages to date.” Brent crude edged above $70 a barrel after the announcement, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Moscow is considering counter-steps. EU diplomats said work has already begun on a 19th sanctions round.