According to insiders from Politico, the position of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban regarding Russian sports officials may delay the adoption of a new EU sanctions package against Russia.
Points of attention
- Greece and Malta have also obstructed EU initiatives, hindering efforts to replace the price cap on Russian oil with a ban on essential fuel transportation services.
- European diplomatic efforts, led by Kaia Kallas, are underway to overcome obstacles and secure the adoption of the 20th sanctions package against Russia.
Orban plays into Putin's hands again
As journalists managed to find out, in general, official Brussels is close to the finish line in the issue of adopting the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.
There is a high probability that a full deal will be concluded in the near future.
The head of European diplomacy, Kaia Kallas, is currently doing everything possible to ensure that the sanctions package is finally prepared by the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
The EU authorities also want to coordinate their actions with official London to maximize sanctions pressure on the Kremlin.
Despite this, the European Union once again faced resistance from Hungarian leader Viktor Orban.
As it turned out, Putin's henchman is increasingly actively seeking to remove leading Russian sports officials from the sanctions list.
This requirement is currently a key obstacle to Brussels' work.
Moreover, recently, Greece and Malta blocked a new EU initiative to replace the cap on the price of Russian oil with a ban on services necessary for the transportation of fuel.
