Greece and Malta raised concerns on Monday during the EU ambassadors' meeting about new sanctions aimed at Russia's oil sector. Officials from both countries voiced apprehensions that the proposals could adversely affect the European shipping industry and lead to increased energy prices. The dialogue underscored the delicate balance the EU seeks to maintain between enforcing impactful sanctions on Russia and protecting its own economic interests.

The core element of these proposed sanctions involves replacing existing price caps on Russian oil sales with a comprehensive ban on services needed for its transportation. This change comes as part of the EU's broader strategy of sanctioning Russia amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. There is significant emphasis on ensuring that the sanctions do not lead to unintended consequences for EU member states, especially those like Greece and Malta that have strong maritime sectors reliant on oil transport.

As the European Commission's proposal needs unanimous support from all member states for approval, the discussions indicate that further negotiations are likely. Malta's representative in Brussels, Nestor Laivera, noted that the country is involved in technical discussions to ensure that the final outcome is practical and implementable, revealing the complexity and importance of the decisions being made within the EU framework.