Dutch PM says EU consensus on Russian sanctions possible this week

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Monday that he believes the European Union can reach a consensus within the next week on a sixth package of EU sanctions on Russia that would put a stop to its consumption of Russian oil and gas as soon as possible.

"As major consumers of Russian oil and gas we are basically funding Putin's horrific war. We need to put a stop to that as soon as possible," Rutte said in a joint news conference in Dublin with his Irish counterpart Micheál Martin.

"We are both doing everything we can to bring the sixth package to a conclusion. I still think that should be done at a level of the (EU) 27 also because formally, legally we need unanimity on this and I still think it is possible to get there."

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin)