Orbán refuses to extend EU sanctions against Russia in anticipation of Trump’s inauguration
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that before making a decision on the extension of EU sanctions against Russia, it is necessary to wait for the inauguration of the new US President Donald Trump.
About this informs Bloomberg.
Sanctions introduced by the European Union due to Russian aggression against Ukraine already cover 15 packages that require regular renewal every six months. The next decision must be made by the end of January — 11 days after Trump’s scheduled inauguration.
Usually, the question of extending sanctions is decided during the last summit of the year, but this time Orbán unexpectedly refused to support such a decision at a one-day meeting of EU leaders. This caused concern among European partners, as such a position could jeopardize the bloc’s unity in support of Ukraine and sanctions pressure on Russia.
Hungary has repeatedly blocked EU initiatives to strengthen sanctions or help Ukraine, which creates serious challenges for allies. Orbán has close ties to Donald Trump and recently visited him in Florida for a one-on-one meeting, which likely influenced his decision.
