Hungary and Slovakia have decided not to support the European Union's plan for the 18th package of sanctions against Russia.
Points of attention
- Slovakia and Hungary refused to support the 18th package of EU sanctions against Russia, citing their energy interests and warm relations with Moscow.
- Both countries continue to purchase Russian gas and oil, leading to their non-alignment with the new sanctions package proposed by the European Commission.
- The foreign ministers of Hungary and the prime minister of Slovakia emphasized the need to find alternatives before imposing sanctions on Russia.
Slovakia and Hungary did not support the new package of sanctions against Russia
This was stated by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
We did this because the European Union... wants to prohibit member states, including Hungary and Slovakia, from buying cheap Russian natural gas and cheap Russian oil, as they did before.
Peter Szijjarto
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary
Hungary and Slovakia maintain warm relations with Moscow and continue to buy Russian gas and oil.
The European Commission proposed a new package of sanctions against Russia on June 10 for its invasion of Ukraine. The package targets Moscow's energy revenues, its banks, and its military industry.
In response, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that Slovakia would not support the sanctions package unless the European Commission found a solution to the situation Slovakia would face if the bloc gradually phased out imports of Russian energy.
Approval of sanctions proposals requires unanimity within the bloc.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the EU to remove from the agenda the issue of a ban on the supply of Russian energy resources due to the expected increase in energy prices after the US bombing of Iran.
