Brussels: The European Union has encountered a significant setback in its efforts to gain support from the United States and other G7 nations for a new proposal aimed at restricting Russian oil deliveries. This effort was part of the EU's proposed 20th package of anti-Russian sanctions, according to a report from a diplomatic source in Brussels.

According to Anadolu Agency, the source, who provided information to the Russian state news agency Tass, indicated that the EU's proposal was presented to Washington and other G7 capitals. The proposal sought to expand restrictions related to the transport and servicing of Russian oil shipments. The EU aimed to fully prohibit European businesses from engaging in the transportation of Russian oil or offering any maintenance, supply, financing, and insurance services to tankers transporting Russian oil, irrespective of the flag they are flying. The European Commission had also invited its partners to impose similar restrictions on their companies.

The diplomat revealed that the United States has refused to align with this proposal. However, there remains a possibility that Washington might impose its own measures in its own time and on its own terms. Other G7 partners have expressed that joining the EU sanctions could be possible, but they did not commit to any definitive promises.

Since the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has become the most sanctioned nation globally, surpassing countries like Iran, Syria, and North Korea. Sanctions-tracking databases reveal that over 16,500 restrictive measures have been imposed on Moscow, targeting individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft.