EU sanctions on Russia extended as Hungary secures gas talks
EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels on Monday, unanimously decided to extend the economic sanctions on Russia, which were initially set to expire this coming Friday. Hungary, which had previously blocked the extension, received assurances that the European Commission would continue negotiating with Ukraine regarding the possibility of gas transit.
Due to the risk of Hungary blocking this decision, an assembly of ambassadors from member countries convened in Brussels on Monday morning, before the ministers' meeting.
According to an EU source, Hungary was expected to receive guarantees from the European Commission during the meeting regarding discussions with Ukraine about gas transit. These negotiations will continue, and Hungary and Slovakia will also be involved.
Before the ministers' meeting, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that he expects official guarantees from the European Commission regarding the security of gas supplies. Ukraine decided not to extend the agreement to transit Russian gas, which expired at the end of the year.
Orban waited on Trump
Budapest has been obstructing the extension of economic sanctions imposed on Russia due to the war in Ukraine, citing the change of power in the USA as the reason.
After Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States, Hungary began demanding guarantees concerning gas transit through Ukraine.
If the member countries had not unanimously decided to extend the restrictions, which they do every six months, the sanctions would have expired at the end of January.
