Several EU member states are pushing for new sanctions against Russia.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, a number of EU countries are reportedly pushing for a new round of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, as well as increased military support.

Less than three weeks after the hard-won sixth package of sanctions was approved, about one-third of the EU's 27 member states requested that the European Commission begin work on a seventh package of sanctions.

A draft document outlining the outcomes of an EU leaders summit scheduled for later this week does not mention new sanctions, but diplomats told Reuters that the text would likely be tweaked after a meeting with EU envoys on Monday.

According to diplomats, Germany and other countries are likely to oppose the potential proposals because they have expressed a desire to focus on enforcing existing sanctions rather than devising new ones.

The most recent hard-won package of sanctions included an oil ban on seaborne oil, as well as sanctions on shipping and banks, but Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, objected, claiming that the original sanctions plan would be a "nuclear bomb" for the country's economy.

Several EU representatives have also discussed current military assistance to Ukraine and whether it should be increased; however, many are divided on the issue.

The EU says it "remains strongly committed to providing further military support to help Ukraine exercise its inherent right of self-defence against Russian aggression," according to draft conclusions seen by Reuters for the June 23-24 summit.

The European Union has previously provided Ukraine with €2 billion in military aid through the European Peace Facility.

By fLEXI tEAM