Hungary makes it difficult for the EU to decide on sanctions against Russia

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues to move to prevent the European Union (EU) from extending sanctions against Russia.

Politico quoted Mr. Orban on Hungarian television on January 24, saying that the Hungarian leader had stressed to EU partners that sanctions against Russia cannot continue. Mr. Orban raised concerns about energy prices, after Ukraine did not renew an agreement for Russia to supply gas to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines.

“Hungary cannot be forced to pay the price for sanctions,” Mr Orban said.

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EU officials met in Brussels on January 24 to consider renewing sanctions against Russia, including trade restrictions and freezing nearly 200 billion euros of Russian assets in European countries. These decrees need to be renewed every six months and must be agreed by all 27 EU countries.

Bloomberg on January 24 quoted informed sources as saying that the EU failed to agree on sanctions against Russia in a closed-door meeting on the same day, following Hungary’s objection. The issue will continue to be discussed by EU foreign ministers on January 27, while the sanctions expire on January 31. Mr. Orban is said to have not yet expressed a firm stance on whether to support or veto the extension of sanctions against Russia.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

Mr Orban said the EU should wait for US President Donald Trump’s move on Russia after his inauguration. However, Politico said the situation did not go as expected for the Hungarian Prime Minister, after the new US leader threatened to impose sanctions on Russia if Moscow could not reach an agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine.

The Hungarian prime minister has directed his criticism at Ukraine, after Kyiv suspended the extension of a deal to transport Russian gas to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines, raising energy prices. Mr Orban also expressed concern that sanctions against Russia in the current situation would affect the Hungarian economy.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hungary-lam-kho-eu-ve-quyet-dinh-cam-van-nga-185250125095742478.htm