HUNGARY THREATENS TO SCRAP EU RUSSIA SANCTIONS -Orban says Russian gas transit to Central Europe must be restarted
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated today that Hungary will scrap the next rollover of EU sanctions against Russia unless Brussels helps achieve a restart of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, which was halted on Jan. 1.
Orban has stated that Ukraine’s move to halt Russian gas transit to Central Europe and the resulting rise in prices was “unacceptable”, adding that Hungary would veto the next rollover of the sanctions imposed by the EU, if gas flows did not restart.
Russian gas exports via pipelines running through Ukraine came to a halt when the transit deal expired. Kyiv refused to negotiate a new transit deal as its war against Russia’s invasion approaches the end of a third year.
The EU on Monday renewed its sanctions after Hungary stopped blocking a renewal in return for a declaration on energy security.
The Commission said it was “ready to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine in line with Ukraine’s international obligations. In that context, the Commission is ready to associate Hungary in the process (along with Slovakia).”
The Commission was not immediately available to comment on Orban’s remarks.
The sanctions require unanimous approval from EU member states every six months to be renewed
