Hungary PM blocks renewal of EU sanctions against Russia
Date
1/23/2025 7:40:48 AM
(MENAFN) Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is blocking the renewal of European Union sanctions on Russia, set to expire on January 31, according to a Bloomberg report. These sanctions, imposed over the Ukraine conflict, require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states every six months. If Hungary continues to object, there is currently no alternative plan to extend the sanctions.
Orban, a vocal critic of the EU’s sanctions policy, has argued that the penalties have caused more harm to EU economies than to Russia. He reiterated his stance last week, calling for the EU to establish a "sanction-free relationship with Russia" by 2025. EU ambassadors are meeting this week in an attempt to resolve the deadlock, and if they fail, the issue will be escalated to foreign ministers who will meet in Brussels on January 27.
Orban’s opposition to sanctions dates back to previous EU summits, where he expressed reluctance to support them until the new US President Donald Trump took office. Hungary's tensions with Brussels grew after Orban's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024 as part of a peace mission for Ukraine. Hungary has long opposed both sanctions on Russia and aid to Ukraine, citing concerns over energy security and economic stability.
Hungarian officials have warned that Hungary could block further sanctions if they threaten its energy supplies.
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