Lithuania’s foreign minister said Monday that the European Union must not become a “hostage” to Hungary as Budapest threatens to block the bloc’s latest sanctions against Russia.
Speaking before a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys told LRT that the EU cannot allow a single member state to hold up collective decisions.
“We cannot become hostages of one country,” Budrys said. “If other countries raise specific questions related to the continued operations of their companies, we have Hungary, which in principle is simply blocking and that’s it.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Sunday that Budapest would block the sanctions unless Ukraine reopens a major oil pipeline supplying the country.
Ukrainian authorities say the Druzhba pipeline, which runs from Russia through Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary, was shut down after being damaged in a Russian attack in January.
Budrys said the pipeline had not been blocked but damaged by Russian forces and is currently under repair. He added that Southern European countries have repeatedly offered alternative ways to ensure oil supplies to Hungary.
“That does not suit Hungary. It wants its Russian oil, which is cheap, convenient,” he said, adding that he sees “a lot of politics” in Budapest’s position.
Budrys said the EU in the near term should consider applying pressure through financial instruments, including funding under the European security action program known as SAFE, to reach a compromise.
In the longer term, he questioned whether unanimity among all 27 EU member states should be required for such decisions.
“We need members with whom we see the threat picture in the same way. Clearly, we do not see it the same way here,” he said. “If you do not like it, find another organisation.”
Earlier this month, the European Commission proposed new sanctions targeting Russia’s banking and energy sectors. The measures would mark the bloc’s 20th sanctions package since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The Commission also plans to ban exports of machine tools and radio equipment to countries where there is a high risk the goods could be reexported to Russia.
Budrys said Lithuania considers the proposed sanctions insufficient.
He said Vilnius had expected measures against Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom and oil giant Lukoil, as well as more ambitious sanctions on the financial sector.
Budapest has also threatened to veto a proposed 90 billion euro EU loan to Ukraine.
Budrys said Hungary is “manipulating” the tools at its disposal but expressed hope that the European Commission would find arguments to persuade Budapest.
“If we have to hand out carrots every time to secure agreement on our common security interests, then why do we need that kind of European Union?” he said.
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