The European Union is preparing for the possibility that Hungary may block the extension of sanctions against Russia, which are set to expire on March 15.
This was reported by Euractiv, citing unnamed European diplomats.
The publication notes that some EU diplomats were surprised that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán did not take any action against the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting on March 6, which focused on supporting Ukraine. As a result, the conclusions were signed by the leaders of 26 EU member states, while Orbán did not add his signature.
According to those present at the EU leaders’ meeting, Orbán also did not raise any contentious issues regarding Russia.
Diplomats believe that the Hungarian prime minister exercised restraint given the need to extend sanctions against Russia, which are renewed every six months and expire on March 15. This time, it may not be possible to bypass Budapest, as the sanctions require unanimous agreement from all 27 EU countries. This gives Orbán far more leverage to secure whatever he wants, the publication notes.
The EU’s restrictive measures target individuals, companies, and other entities involved in undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. Currently, more than 2,400 individuals and entities are on the EU’s blacklist.
In recent weeks, Hungary has stated its desire to remove eight individuals from the EU’s sanctions list against Russia and secure new concessions in negotiations with Ukraine regarding gas transit.
As U.S. President Donald Trump signals that Washington may lift sanctions on Russia in pursuit of a peaceful resolution, Budapest is likely to take a more assertive stance against EU sanctions on Russia, the publication adds.
This week, EU ambassadors have three opportunities to extend the sanctions package—on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday.
