Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says Hungary’s reasoning for blocking the extension of EU sanctions on Russian officials is “ridiculous”.
“We keep seeing one state delay and hinder joint decisions on sanctions or support for Ukraine. I hope that Hungary will lift its restrictions and we’ll be able to deliver 6.6 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine,” Lithuania’s foreign minister told reporters on Friday.
“This is an ongoing process, and those arguments are ridiculous,” he added.
On Thursday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó vowed to oppose the renewal of the bloc’s sanctions on over 2,400 individuals and organisations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Hungary’s top diplomat urged the EU to wait for the outcome of US-Russia negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.
The current sanctions package is set to expire in mid-March unless all EU member states unanimously approve an extension.
Szijjártó, who is in Washington for a visit, said that Budapest was under enormous pressure from Brussels to approve 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,” he was quoted as saying.
In January, Budapest had refused until the last minute to extend economic sanctions against Russia over a dispute with Kyiv on gas supplies.
Separately, Szijjártó also vowed to block agreement on any further EU weapons supplies for Ukraine.
The threat comes as Brussels urges member states to commit to delivering a new package of key weaponry to Kyiv as soon as possible. Diplomats say the EU has proposed 6 billion euros for the plan.
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