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Anti-Russian sanctions

Hungary to block sanctions against Russia until supplies via Druzhba start — Orban

Hungary will reject the 20th sanctions package submitted to the EU for consideration, the Hungarian prime minister said

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban John Thys, Pool Photo via AP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

© John Thys, Pool Photo via AP

BUDAPEST, February 22. /TASS/. Hungary will block any EU’s sanctions-related decisions against Russia until Ukraine resumes oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said following an emergency meeting of the country's Energy Security Council.

"We decided that until supplies via the Druzhba pipeline are resumed, we will not support any [EU] sanctions policy. Consequently, we will also reject the 20th sanctions package submitted to the EU for consideration. If oil supplies are resumed, we will return to the previous conditions," he said in a video address broadcast by the M1 TV channel.

Earlier, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said that Budapest would not support the approval of the 20th package of EU sanctions against Russia at the meeting of EU foreign ministers to be held in Brussels on February 23.

Orban also noted in the video address that the Ukrainian leadership's refusal to resume Russian oil transit could pose a "threat to Hungary's energy security." "Today, this threat has been averted, and we are ensuring the normal functioning of the country's economy," he stressed.

"At the same time, we have decided to take countermeasures and stop diesel fuel supplies from Hungary to Ukraine until oil supplies from Ukraine are resumed," Orban noted. Furthermore, in response to the suspension of transit via the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary has blocked the EU's 90 bln euros war loan to Ukraine.

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