BUDAPEST, February 12. /TASS/. Hungary opposes the idea for the EU to impose a 10th package of sanctions on Russia, and all other EU sanctions, because they don’t help to achieve peace in Ukraine, but hurt Europe’s economy, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview with Kossuth Radio on Sunday.
"Sanctions measures have completely fallen through," he said, adding that the 10th package of EU sanctions that’s under discussion in Brussels would only "like the previous nine ones, cause an even greater damage to Europeans."
Szijjarto said the sanctions hadn’t forced Russia to change its position, didn’t bring about peace for Ukraine, but caused "unimaginable hardships" in Europe, including an influx of refugees and inflation.
Speaking about the proposals of some EU countries to extend sanctions to Russian nuclear energy, Szijjarto reaffirmed that Hungary will not support them, as this would jeopardize its energy security. He said that the Paks nuclear power plant, which accounts for half of all generated electricity and one-third of all consumed electricity in the country, uses Russian nuclear fuel. The plant operates four nuclear reactors, and preparations are underway for the construction of two more reactors by Rosatom.
"If the Paks nuclear power plant can’t operate due to a ban on the supply of nuclear fuel, then supplying Hungary with energy will be impossible," Szijjarto said. "Hungary doesn’t support any sanctions that will restrict access to nuclear energy or cooperation with Russia in this area."
According to the official, Hungary can increase its independence from international energy markets only if it produces nuclear energy domestically, and therefore any restrictions on its access to nuclear energy will jeopardize the country's energy supply and pose a danger to its sovereignty.