In addition to Hungary, the Slovak Republic also blocked the latest 20th package of sanctions against Russia at Monday’s meeting of the EU Council for Foreign Affairsaccording to the sources of Radio Free Europe/Radio Freedom (RFE/RL). Budapest announced its veto in advance, the official position of the Slovak Republic is not known, writes TASR.
According to RFE/RL, the Slovak veto, like the Hungarian one, is not related to any of the proposed restrictive measures, but to the interruption of oil transit through the Družba pipeline. From January 27, Russian oil will not flow through the pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia. According to Ukraine, it was caused by a Russian attack on an oil pipeline facility in the city of Brody in the Lviv region.
According to the RFE/RL station, she reigned supreme at the ministerial meeting on Monday “frustration among the other 25 EU member states” and some openly questioned Hungary’s motives. They allegedly claimed that Budapest’s veto is more about April parliamentary elections than oil supplies.
Slovakia’s veto of the 20th package of anti-Russian sanctions was also hinted at by the head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallasová, after the EU Council meeting. “We are communicating at various levels with Hungarian and Slovak colleagues to continue with this package. It is not easy. It is never easy, but the work continues. I am very sorry that we did not reach an agreement today, as tomorrow is the sad anniversary of the start of this war, and we really need to send strong signals to Ukraine that we continue to help it, but at the same time put more pressure on Russia,” she declared.
The head of Hungarian diplomacy, Péter Szijjártó, announced on Sunday on the X social network that his country will block the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia at the EU Council meeting.
The new package of sanctions was presented by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, more than two weeks ago. It mainly focuses on energy, financial services and trade. The EU wanted to accept it by February 24 – the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the Russian war in Ukraine. However, the member states did not agree on it even at Friday’s meeting at the level of ambassadors, while it requires the support of all 27 member countries.
