As the European Union prepares for its extraordinary leaders’ summit on March 6, Hungary is once again issuing ultimatums regarding support for Ukraine, warning that it may block references to Kyiv in the summit’s final statement.
Additionally, Hungary has suggested it might oppose the renewal of EU sanctions against Russian individuals, set for review on March 10.
Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács relayed statements from Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who backed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s stance against including Ukraine-related conclusions in the EU’s official statement.
“Before the EU summit this week, Foreign Minister Szijjártó pointed out the divisions between factions advocating for peace and those supporting war. The minister backed Prime Minister Orbán’s proposal to remove any conclusions on Ukraine from the summit’s final statement, arguing that a forced consensus would only deepen disagreements,” Kovács wrote.
On the issue of sanctions, Szijjártó argued that “Brussels has already violated two of the four guarantees it provided for Hungary’s energy security.” He has requested clarification from the EU’s foreign affairs chief before deciding whether to support the extension of sanctions against Russian individuals.
Hungary’s stance adds further tension to EU discussions, as unanimous approval is required for both the summit’s final statement and the continuation of sanctions.
