(MENAFN) On Thursday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on Slovakia to lift its veto on the European Union's latest sanctions package targeting Russia. Speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, Merz emphasized the importance of all nations intensifying efforts to pressure Moscow.

He argued that this would push Russia's leadership to return to negotiations and bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“We are preparing the 18th sanctions package within the EU against Russia. There is only one member state missing to agree on that,” Merz told the attendees, which included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and various European officials.

Merz urgently appealed to Slovakia and its Prime Minister, Robert Fico, to abandon their opposition and allow the approval of the 18th sanctions package within the European Union. He stressed the need for unity in this effort.

The Chancellor also pointed out that while Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire without preconditions, Russia had escalated its military campaign, targeting Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure with missiles and drones.

“This has to end. Therefore, it remains our political duty to increase pressure on Russia in order to change President Vladimir Putin's calculus, and bring him to the negotiating table,” Merz asserted.

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