Hungary is preventing the European Union from approving its 20th round of sanctions against Russia, citing disrupted oil deliveries through Ukraine. The standoff threatens both new penalties on Russia's energy sector and a $106 billion loan package for Ukraine.
BRUSSELS – Hungary is standing in the way of the European Union’s newest round of economic penalties against Russia, according to the bloc’s leading foreign policy official who spoke Monday.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters that the union’s 27 foreign ministers meeting in Brussels would probably fail to reach agreement on the 20th sanctions package, which officials had hoped to finalize before Tuesday’s fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine.
“I think there is not going to be progress regarding this today,” Kallas stated prior to the regular gathering of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, where the 20th sanctions package was scheduled for discussion.
The diplomatic session followed Hungary’s weekend announcement threatening to halt both the EU sanctions proposal and a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine unless Russian oil shipments to Hungary are restored.
Oil deliveries from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off since January 27 following what Ukrainian authorities describe as Russian drone strikes that harmed the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude oil through Ukrainian land into Central Europe. This disruption has escalated friction between Budapest and Kyiv.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reinforced his unsupported claim Monday that Ukraine was intentionally blocking Russian oil shipments, while also charging that Kyiv aims to overthrow his administration.
Through a social media message, Orbán characterized the oil supply interruptions as a “Ukrainian oil blockade” orchestrated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“We have given President Zelenskyy firm and proportionate responses,” Orbán posted. “He, too, must understand: by attacking Hungary, he can only lose.”
The sanctions require unanimous approval from all 27 member nations to take effect.
Kallas indicated that work would continue Monday to move forward with the EU’s 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine.
With a critical election approaching in under two months, Orbán has initiated an aggressive campaign against Ukraine and claimed the opposition Tisza party, which polls show leading, is working with the EU and Ukraine to establish what he termed Monday a “pro-Ukraine government aligned with Brussels and Kyiv.”
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski suggested Hungary’s unexpected Sunday declaration might actually relate to Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán’s intense battle to retain power.
“I would have expected a much greater feeling of solidarity from Hungary for Ukraine,” he stated in Brussels. “The ruling party managed to create a climate of hostility towards the victim of aggression. And then it is now trying to exploit that in the general election. It’s quite shocking.”
Almost all European nations have substantially reduced or completely stopped Russian energy purchases since Moscow began its comprehensive war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022. However, Hungary and Slovakia, both EU and NATO allies, have continued and even expanded their Russian oil and gas supplies, receiving temporary permission to bypass an EU ban on Russian oil imports.
“Tomorrow we are entering the fifth year of the war,” stated Latvian foreign minister Baiba Braže before the meeting. “We are fully committed both to the 20th sanctions package including maritime and maritime services ban, but also political commitment, economic commitment, military commitment to support European values.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed surprise at Hungary’s stance.
“I don’t think it is right if Hungary betrays its own fight for freedom and European sovereignty,” Wadephul informed reporters in Brussels, referencing Hungary’s participation in ending European communism in 1989. “So we will once again come to the Hungarians with our arguments, in Budapest but of course also here in Brussels, for them to reconsider their position.”
“The German position is very clear: we must now show strength, we must support Ukraine sustainably, and we must do exactly what we did last year too: continue to raise the pressure on Russia,” Wadephul added, expressing confidence the EU will ultimately reach agreement on the 20th sanctions package “at the end of the day.”
Also at stake is a substantial 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) EU loan to Ukraine designed to help Kyiv address its military and economic requirements for the coming two years.
“We must release that. We must find an agreement between the member states because Ukraine needs this money heavily,” said Margus Tsahkna, Estonia’s foreign minister.