Hungarian leader Viktor Orban has shamelessly begun to argue that European Union members do not need to extend sanctions against Russia until Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Points of attention
- Official Brussels intends to extend sanctions against Russia, but Orban is again preventing this decision from being made.
- The Hungarian leader has previously blocked important EU decisions aimed at punishing Russia or helping Ukraine.
What is known about the European Union's plans?
Anonymous sources of journalists reported on the new intentions of the EU and the Prime Minister of Hungary.
As is known, official Brussels has imposed 15 packages of sanctions against the aggressor country Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, which must be renewed every six months.
What is important to understand is that the next extension is due by the end of January, 11 days after Trump is due to be sworn in.
Until now, this has been a routine decision, and usually a political decision on this was made at the last EU summit of the year, but the extension requires unanimous support from the 27 member states.
Orban again tries to block sanctions against Russia
According to insiders, at the end of a one-day European Union summit on December 19, the Hungarian leader shocked his colleagues again.
He began to cynically claim that as of today he was not ready to move forward with the continuation of the sanctions policy against the aggressor country, Russia.
Orban's denial has heightened a key concern among European leaders: the Hungarian leader could enter into a partnership with Trump to undermine the European Union's unity on financial and military support for Ukraine, the report says.
What is important to understand is that official Brussels often faced obstacles from Viktor Orban, who blocked a number of important decisions aimed at further punishing Russia or helping Ukraine.
The Hungarian leader is known to be a close ally of incoming President Donald Trump and traveled to Florida earlier this month to meet with him in person.
