Orban determines terms for renewing EU’s Russia sanctions
Date
1/26/2025 4:35:37 AM
(MENAFN) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that Hungary will only support the renewal of EU sanctions against Russia if Brussels pushes Ukraine to resume the transit of Russian gas to the EU. This comes ahead of an EU vote to extend sanctions, which are set to expire at the end of January, and after Ukraine halted Russian gas deliveries to Hungary in early January.
Orban emphasized the significant economic losses Hungary faced due to the sanctions, amounting to €19 billion ($20 billion), and urged European leaders to reconsider the continuation of these measures. He called on Brussels to pressure Ukraine to restart the gas transit, which was halted after Ukraine did not renew its agreement with Russia's Gazprom.
The Hungarian leader also demanded that Ukraine ensure the safety of the TurkStream pipeline, Hungary's main alternative gas supply route, following an attack on the pipeline by Ukrainian drones earlier in the month. Orban further stressed the need for protection of Hungary's oil supply routes from similar attacks. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the EU has sought to reduce its reliance on Russian energy, with some countries halting Russian gas imports and others still receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia.
MENAFN26012025000045015687ID1109129805
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.