Polish PM Says Orbán Would Be “Playing in Putin’s Team” if He Moves to Block EU Sanctions Against Russia

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s potential move to block the automatic extension of European Union sanctions against Russia would signal alignment with Moscow’s interests.

This comes after Hungarian Cabinet Minister Gergely Gulyás suggested that the changing global context, including the recent political shifts in the United States, demands a reassessment of the sanctions process.

“If Viktor Orbán really blocks European sanctions at a key moment for the war, it’ll be absolutely clear that in this big game for the security and future of Europe, he is playing in Putin’s team, not in ours. With all the consequences of this fact,” Tusk stated on the social media platform X (Twitter).

The Polish prime minister’s remarks underline the growing tensions within the EU over maintaining a united stance against Russia amid its ongoing aggression against Ukraine. The EU sanctions regime has been a cornerstone of its policy to pressure Moscow, with regular extensions requiring unanimous support from member states.

Earlier, during the NATO summit in Washington, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban opposed Ukraine’s NATO membership despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presence.