Hungary Threatens to Wreck EU Sanctions Over Halted Russian Gas Transit

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that he will block the renewal of European Union sanctions against Russia in six months unless Ukraine resumes the transit of Russian gas.

Orban told state radio on January 31 that Hungary had received assurances from the EU’s executive arm this week regarding the resumption of gas transit through Ukraine.

“If the pledge is broken, then not only will we propose ending sanctions, but we will end them,” Orban said.

On January 1, 2025, Ukraine halted Russian gas transit through its territory for national security reasons, informing the European Commission in advance.

President Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Ukraine will not resume gas transit, even if the gas formally belongs to another country.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that if Viktor Orban blocks EU sanctions at a critical moment in the war, it will be clear that he is siding with Putin, “with all the consequences of this fact.”

The EU's sanctions policy, a key tool in pressuring Moscow, requires unanimous support for renewal. Orban has previously opposed Ukraine’s NATO membership, reiterating his position at the recent NATO summit in Washington.