Hungary’s success in removing a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin from the last round of European Union sanctions was “unacceptable,” Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bethel said today.
The EU on Thursday gave its final approval to a new package of sanctions as punishment for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – including a gradual embargo on Russian oil imports – following a series of disputes with the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Hungary and two other Central European countries that do not have access to the sea have secured an exemption for imports from pipelines on which they rely, while Budapest has also insisted that the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, not be blacklisted by the EU. , a close ally of Putin, despite plans for sanctions.
Hungary’s opposition has prevented the necessary EU unanimity.
“I have to tell you that I’m really upset. I’m sorry to say that yesterday we reached an agreement on sanctions because we said to Victor Orban, ‘OK, we’re removing Patriarch Cyril from the list.’ at a conference of the pan-European ALDE group.
“He was on the list and then they threatened to deny everything because of Cyril’s presence.”
Source: Capital
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