RT reported that on January 27, Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy spokeswoman, said the extension of sanctions was to continuate to deprive Russia of revenue to finance the Ukrainian conflict.
Since the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict in February 2022, the EU has imposed 15 rounds of sanctions on Russia, including freezing national assets, cutting off almost all trade and energy linkages with Moscow. These measures need to be agreed upon by all 27 EU member states to be extended every 6 months.
Last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened to attack the decision to extend sanctions against Russia if Ukraine does not restore the gas transit agreement with Russian giant Gazprom, allowing Russian gas to flow into the EU via the pipeline system in Ukraine.
Hungary - a country that relies on Russian gas for about 75% - has withdrawn its threat after receiving necessary guarantees on energy security, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. He wrote on his X account that Budapest had reached an agreement with the EU to protect its gas supplies.
The European Commission said it would continue negotiations with Ukraine on connecting gas flows to Europe via pipelines in Ukraine, and was ready to coordinate with Hungary and Slovakia on the issue.
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico also took a tough stance, saying he would deny any EU aid to Ukraine if the gas supply suspension continued. Mr. Fico even warned that he could stop supplying electricity and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Slovakia currently depends on Russia for about 60% of its gas needs.
Both Mr. Orban and Mr. Fico believe that Ukraine cannot win on the battlefield, and that military aid from the West only prolongs the conflict. The two leaders also repeatedly accused the EU sanctions of doing more harm to the European economy than weakening Russia.
Hungary has repeatedly used its boycott to secure important exemptions, including a partial exemption from the EU oil embargo and ensuring that the country's nuclear industry is not affected by future sanctions.
Although sanctions continue to be maintained, the EU is still deeply divided on the approach to the Russia-Ukraine issue. Will these measures really weaken Russia or only put the EU under economic pressure from within? Geopolitical gambling in Europe is still full of fluctuations.