Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has doubled down on his opposition to EU sanctions, asserting that Hungary’s economy has suffered losses of €19.5 billion over the last three years due to measures targeting Russia. The sanctions were implemented as Western nations sought to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin following his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Orbán further escalated tensions by threatening to veto the extension of these EU sanctions, labeling Ukraine’s decision to halt Russian gas transit through its territory as “unacceptable.” The Hungarian leader’s remarks highlight his ongoing friction with the bloc, where member states must unanimously approve sanctions.
Despite his history of making dramatic veto threats regarding EU sanctions on Russia, Orbán has yet to follow through. However, he insists that this time he is serious, stating that Hungary will act decisively if the European Commission fails to honor its promises on energy security for Budapest.
“A decision on sanctions must be taken every six months. And if the Commission does not fulfill its guarantees, then we will not only start talking about lifting the sanctions — we will lift them,” Orbán declared.
He also elaborated on Hungary’s potential to break ranks with the EU, emphasizing that such a move would be a last resort. “One country can do that. If we really have to, Hungary can say, ‘Well, everyone should go home now. Lights off, sanctions over, everybody go home.’ But this is a very harsh thing, and it should only be used as a last resort,” he concluded.
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