The EU will extend its sectoral sanctions against Russia after Hungary dropped a veto threat it had linked to energy concerns and on Monday allowed EU sanctions on Russia to be extended for another six months, bringing to a close a brief political saga that has left Brussels in a bind.
The breakthrough was achieved at a meeting of foreign ministers, where a statement on the "integrity of energy infrastructure" was presented to calm Budapest's fears, several diplomats told Euronews.
The sectoral sanctions, which include sweeping bans on oil, coal, technology, finance, luxury goods, transport and broadcasting, and a freeze on €210 billion of Russian central bank assets, were due to expire on 31 January unless unanimity could be reached.
In the days leading up to the deadline, Hungary stepped up its critical rhetoric, arguing that Donald Trump's inauguration as US president merited a broader reassessment of the bloc's policy and the way sanctions are renewed every six months.
Last Friday, the Prime Minister Viktor Orbán raised the bar by making a direct link to an unrelated dispute Hungary and Slovakia are currently having with Ukraine over the transit of Russian gas, which Kiev has terminated at the end of 2024.
"What is now closed must be reopened. This is not a Ukrainian issue, this is a European issue, a Central European issue," Orbán said in a radio interview.
"If the Ukrainians want help, for example sanctions against the Russians, then we will reopen the gas transit routes and allow Central European countries, including Hungary, to get the gas we need through Ukraine."
Diplomats in Brussels have objected to this argument and condemned Hungary's "transactional" diplomacy, which has taken place several times since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Hungary has never before threatened to derail the entire sanctions regime carefully constructed under 15 different packages. "We take threats seriously," one of the diplomats said on Friday after a meeting of EU ambassadors failed to produce any solution.
Over the weekend, President Volodymyr Zelensky offered signs of compromise when he expressed openness to allowing Azerbaijani gas to transit through his country, something he had previously ruled out as a "game" that Russia could easily circumvent.
"There is gas, there are supply routes from Azerbaijan. The key is to have the political will to work for your people, not with Moscow for some shadow benefit, as some figures in Eastern Europe are doing." Zelensky said on Saturday at a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
Hungary and Slovakia, as landlocked countries, are pushing hard for continued transit through Ukraine, whether by Russian or Azerbaijani gas, and warn that a sudden change in energy supply would devastate their national economies.
The European Commission, which gave tacit approval to Zelensky's decision to terminate the long-term contract with Gazprom, insists the impact will be limited because the EU is well prepared for the switch away from Russian fuel.
The Commission worked with the European External Action Service (EEAS) to prepare the declaration, which was presented to the foreign ministers on Monday. The text refers to consultations with Kiev on gas and oil flows.
"The Commission is ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine on supplies to Europe through the Ukrainian pipeline system in line with Ukraine's international commitments. In this context, the Commission is ready to involve Hungary in this process (together with Slovakia)," said in a statement available to Euronews.
While this quarrel with Budapest is over, another one may begin: Brussels is preparing its 16th package of sanctions against Russia, with the aim of passing them before the third anniversary of the war at the end of February. Unanimity will be needed.
euronews/ gnews - RoZ
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