European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said a new round of sanctions against Russia is unlikely to be agreed soon, as Hungary threatens a veto unless Ukraine reopens a key oil pipeline.
The European Union’s top diplomat said a new package of sanctions on Russia is unlikely to be approved Monday after Hungary threatened a veto unless Ukraine reopens a key oil pipeline.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said there would likely be no immediate breakthrough at a meeting of EU foreign ministers, though efforts to push the sanctions forward would continue. The bloc has been working to introduce fresh economic measures against Moscow ahead of the fourth anniversary of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Budapest would block the sanctions until the Druzhba oil pipeline is restored. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reiterated that position, saying Hungary would not shift its stance while the pipeline remains shut.
Ukraine has said the pipeline, which runs through its territory to supply Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary, was damaged in Russian strikes in January.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he was surprised by Hungary’s stance but expressed confidence an agreement could eventually be reached. Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said there was no justification for blocking sanctions, arguing Russia was responsible for the pipeline disruption. Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski described Hungary’s position as “shocking”.
In addition to opposing sanctions, Hungary has also delayed approval of a €90 billion EU loan package for Ukraine. The EU has already imposed 19 rounds of sanctions on Russia since the invasion began, and the latest proposal includes restrictions on shipping services for Russian crude oil to further limit Moscow’s revenues.
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