Hungary to stall EU sanction decision over U.S.-Russia talks

Hungary resists EU pressure to extend sanctions on Russia, delaying decision to avoid hindering peace talks.

Hungary will not consent to rushing ahead with the extension of sanction on Russian individuals at the European Union’s foreign ministers meeting on Monday, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote in a Facebook post on Monday (February 24, 2025)

Hungary's top diplomat vowed on Thursday to delay extending EU sanctions against Russian individuals -- including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov -- to avoid making Russian-US negotiations "difficult".

The government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban -- one of the closest EU partners of US President Donald Trump and the Kremlin -- has repeatedly called for peace talks and refused to send military aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022.

The nationalist leader frequently delayed previous decisions on sanctions before eventually approving them.

Hungary's foreign minister, who is in Washington for a diplomatic trip, said the country is under enormous pressure from Brussels to greenlight the extension of sanctions ahead of time.

"It is clear that Europe's pro-war politicians are rushing ahead and trying to make peace-building difficult, constantly trying to take decisions at lightning speed in Brussels that could hinder the peace-building process" Szijjarto told Hungarian public media.

"We will block any decision from Brussels that could make these negotiations difficult," he added.