EU moves to bypass Hungary in new sanctions against Russia, Politico
Photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Getty Images)
The European Commission has proposed approving new sanctions against Russia by a simple majority of European Union member states, bypassing Hungary, reports Politico.
"It also suggested changing the sanctions renewal rules from unanimity to a qualified majority to reduce the risk of Hungary blocking the process," the article writes.
The mechanism for adopting sanctions in the EU and the role of Hungary
In the European Union, sanctions against third countries, in particular Russia, are adopted by the EU Council. Their adoption requires the unanimous support of all member states.
This means that any country can block sanctions or their extension by exercising its veto right.
Hungary has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU sanctions against Russia due to its energy dependence and pragmatic relations with Moscow.
In 2022-2023, Hungary delayed the adoption of new sanctions against Russian oil and gas, as well as the extension of sanction packages, citing threats to energy security.
Hungary also expressed its disagreement with the use of frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine, which forced the European Commission to look for alternative mechanisms.
Recently, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that Budapest opposes EU sanctions and restrictions on oil supplies from Russia. He noted that such a decision could jeopardize its energy security.
