EU foreign ministers have agreed to extend the bloc’s economic sanctions against Russia for another six months.
Following Hungary’s withdrawal of its last-minute threat to block the extension, EU foreign ministers approved a continuation of the sanctions. This decision came after Hungary dropped its objection, which was predicated on Ukraine’s refusal to resume Russian gas transit to the EU.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the extension on Monday, stating that the move aims to continue restricting Moscow’s access to funds needed to support its war effort.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the EU has implemented fifteen rounds of economic penalties against Russia. These measures include freezing Russian sovereign assets and significantly curtailing trade and energy ties between the EU and Russia. Renewal of these sanctions requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states every six months.
Last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened to veto the renewal unless Kyiv reinstated a transit agreement with Gazprom, allowing Russian gas to flow into the EU via Ukraine. Hungary relies on Russia for approximately 75% of its natural gas imports, a small portion of which was previously transported through the Ukrainian pipeline.
Following receipt of “guarantees regarding the energy security of our country,” Budapest dropped its opposition, as announced by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on X.
In a statement released to Reuters, the European Commission confirmed it would “continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine.”
The Commission further stated that it is “ready to include Hungary in the process along with Slovakia,”
Earlier this month, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico declared his intention to veto any future EU aid to Kyiv due to the gas supply disruption. He also cautioned that he could halt electricity supplies to Ukraine and suspend humanitarian aid deliveries. Slovakia’s natural gas supply is approximately 60% reliant on Russia.
Orban and Fico have repeatedly asserted that Ukraine cannot win the war militarily and that Western military assistance to Kyiv will only prolong the conflict. Both leaders have also maintained that the EU’s sanctions are more detrimental to European economies than to Russia’s. Orban has repeatedly threatened to block sanction implementation unless granted concessions from Brussels, including exemptions from the EU-wide oil embargo and assurances that its nuclear sector will be shielded from future sanctions.