Brussels has been eager to oust Hungarian leader Viktor Orban. The prime minister has grown bolder in his battle against Ukraine regarding the nation blocking gas imports from Russia. Orban has not declared that he may not renew the European Union’s required sanction on Russia unless Ukraine renews the Russian pipeline deal. A final decision will be made today.
“Now the issue of extending sanctions is on the agenda, I have put on the handbrake and asked European leaders to understand that this cannot continue,” said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, speaking to state broadcaster Kossuth Radio. “Hungary cannot be made to pay the price of sanctions in such proportions.”
Current EU criteria demand that all 27 EU nations increase penalties against Russia every six months so long as the war continues. The bloc has already frozen €200 billion in sovereign assets and nearly eliminated all trade. The problem is that neighboring nations are more reliant on Russian energy and have been disproportionately affected by these sanctions. Ukraine’s Zelensky recently failed to renew a critical pipeline deal that all but halted Russian gas imports to the EU.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has also spoken out repeatedly, citing the need for Russian energy and warning that his nation will face an energy crisis if Ukraine prevents the flow of gas. “There is no EU legislation or system of sanctions that would hinder Ukraine from continuing the gas transit,” Fico said earlier in the month. “We can’t ignore this topic because everyone knows ignoring it means escalating tensions in the EU and in bilateral relations.”
“The Ukrainians, while it is in their interests to impose sanctions, are now poking their nose into the flour and tampering with the Hungarians, even on the energy side, because they are not allowing gas to flow from Russia to Hungary,” Orbán said.
The Hungarian government asked to delay the penalty renewal process until after the US election. Trump’s decision to threaten Russia with sanctions boldened EU leaders to call out Hungary and demand they follow the lead.
The European Union cannot possibly act in the best interest of all member states. The entire premise of this alliance was doomed from the start. Members are growing increasingly frustrated as Brussels hinders their individual economies and this political instability will be one of the many reasons the EU will cease to exist.
