European Union foreign ministers backed a Franco-German plan on Monday to impose sanctions on Russians suspected of poisoning Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with a nerve agent, diplomats said.
Berlin and Paris made their proposal at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. They say they have not had a credible explanation from Moscow for what the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said was the presence of the banned Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok in Navalny’s body.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters as he arrived at the meeting earlier on Monday that the poisoning could not “remain without consequences”.
“France and Germany propose imposing sanctions on certain people that caught our eye in this respect,” Maas said, without giving any details.
EU diplomats told Reuters there was broad support among the 27 foreign ministers for asset freezes and travel bans on several Russian GRU military intelligence officials.
The sanctions are not expected to be approved immediately, as legal texts must be prepared and cleared by experts from the 27 EU states.
28th July 2026
Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as France’s new head coach, replacing Didier Deschamps after more than a decade at the helm of Les Bleus. The French Football Federation confirmed that...
28th July 2026
FinanceMalta is exploring new opportunities to strengthen Malta’s presence in the United States, following enhanced connectivity between the two countries and growing interest in interna...
28th July 2026
Updated 0850
Parliament begins Summer Recess After Approving Two Bills Linked to EU funds: Parliament rose for its summer recess on Monday after MPs approved two Bills tied to Malta's...
27th July 2026
Updated 1105
Abela defends equality reforms as Borg says PN walk-out gave ‘voice to the voiceless’: Prime Minister Robert Abela defended the government’s Equality Bill after the Oppos...
25th June 2026
The European Commission has unveiled an ambitious package of tax reforms aimed at simplifying tax rules across the European Union, reducing compliance burdens for businesses and strength...
10th June 2026
The European Union's new Migration and Asylum Pact enters into force on 12 June, ushering in the most significant reform of the bloc's migration framework in years and placing renewed em...
28th July 2026
FinanceMalta is exploring new opportunities to strengthen Malta’s presence in the United States, following enhanced connectivity between the two countries and growing interest in interna...
28th July 2026
GO Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of GO plc, has invested in Jericho Security, a New York-based cybersecurity company developing artificial intelligence tools to help organi...
28th July 2026
FinanceMalta is exploring new opportunities to strengthen Malta’s presence in the United States, following enhanced connectivity between the two countries and growing interest in interna...
8th June 2026
The European Parliament has approved a major new initiative aimed at reducing workplace accidents and strengthening worker protection across the European Union, as concerns continue to g...
28th July 2026
FinanceMalta is exploring new opportunities to strengthen Malta’s presence in the United States, following enhanced connectivity between the two countries and growing interest in interna...
28th July 2026
GO Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of GO plc, has invested in Jericho Security, a New York-based cybersecurity company developing artificial intelligence tools to help organi...
27th July 2026
The United States and Iran have paused military strikes for a third consecutive night as both sides seek to give diplomacy another opportunity after nearly two weeks of escalating confli...
22nd July 2026
The cost of the United States' war in Iran has risen to $37.5 billion so far, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday, as he faced skeptical lawmakers for the first time sin...
25th June 2026
At least 32 people have been killed and more than 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes — measuring 7.2 and 7.5 — struck central Venezuela seconds apart, causing widespread destruct...
25th February 2026
Thousands of Cuban security personnel have begun leaving Caracas after nearly two decades in Venezuela, as Washington ramps up efforts to dismantle the long standing alliance between the...
27th July 2026
Ukraine is aiming to develop a prototype of a new European anti-ballistic missile defence system by the first half of 2027, as Kyiv pushes allies to create a home-grown alternative to US...
22nd July 2026
Ukraine has recaptured 700 sq km (270 sq miles) of its territory this year, outgoing Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Wednesday, confirming he was leaving the top military ...