Hungary blocks extension of sanctions against Russians and Belarusians

Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has stated that he will not support the extension of sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens at a meeting of the Council of the European Union on 24 February.

Source: Zoltan Kovacs, a spokesman for the Hungarian government, on X (Twitter), citing Szijjártó in a statement in Washington, DC, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kovacs noted that Hungary will not support the extension of EU sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens "as time must be given for US-Russia peace talks".

Szijjártó criticised Brussels for making hasty decisions that supposedly hinder peace efforts and for violating its own energy security commitments to Hungary.

"We will not agree to extend the sanctions on Monday – there is time until 10 March," he said. The sanctions are due to expire on 15 March, while a decision on their extension is due on 10 March.

Szijjártó also noted that the European Commission did not keep its promise to include Hungary in negotiations on the resumption of Ukrainian gas transit, inviting only Slovakia and Ukraine instead. "They have broken one of four guarantees," he said.

Background: 

• The European Union attempted once again to impose sanctions on Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, but Hungary blocked the move, Szijjártó said.
• On Wednesday, 19 February, EU ambassadors agreed upon the 16th package of sanctions in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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