2025-06-24 06:25:00
RUSSIAN SANCTIONS: BLOCKING
REUTERS - June 23, 2025 - Hungary and Slovakia have decided not to support the EU's plan for an 18th sanctions package against Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday in a press briefing broadcast on his Facebook page.
Hungary and Slovakia decided to block the sanctions package in response to European Union plans to phase out Russian energy imports, the minister said.
"We did this because the European Union ... wants to prohibit member states, including Hungary and Slovakia, from purchasing cheap Russian natural gas and cheap Russian oil as they have done previously," Szijjarto said.
Hungary and Slovakia continue to rely on Russian gas and oil supplies and have maintained warm ties with Moscow.
The Commission on June 10 proposed a new round of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, targeting Moscow's energy revenues, its banks and its military industry.
In response, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that Slovakia will not back the package of sanctions unless the European Commission provides a solution to the situation Slovakia faces if the bloc phases out Russian energy imports.
Sanctions proposals require unanimity in the bloc for approval.
Late on Sunday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged the EU to take a proposed ban on Russian energy off the agenda due to an expected rise in energy prices following the U.S. bombing of Iran.
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Earlier:
2025, June, 3, 06:45:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR EUROPE +10%
Türkiye is the only transit route left for Russian gas to Europe after Ukraine chose not to extend a five-year transit deal with Moscow when it expired on January 1.
2025, June, 3, 06:40:00
RUSSIAN NUCLEAR FOR EUROPE
“It’s time to stop this Brussels plan to support Ukraine while increasing the utility bills of Hungarian families several times over,”
2025, May, 28, 06:55:00
RUSSIAN ENERGY FOR EUROPE
The European Commission will next month propose legal measures to phase out the EU's imports of all Russian gas and liquefied natural gas by the end of 2027, the EU executive said earlier in May.
2025, April, 16, 06:35:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR EUROPE ANEW
The French state partly owns Engie, which used to be among the biggest buyers of Gazprom's gas. Holleaux said Russia could supply around 20-25% of EU needs, down from 40% before the war.
2025, April, 8, 06:25:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR SLOVAKIA
Gazprom began supplying gas to Slovakia again at the beginning of February, using volumes given up by Hungary on the TurkStream pipeline, SPP said last month. Volumes were due to double from April, but no amounts were given.
2025, March, 27, 06:55:00
RUSSIAN ENERGY FOR HUNGARY
Hungary has gone the other way, leveraging its ties to Moscow for economic gain. It carved out exemptions from under EU sanctions on Russian oil and doubled down on natural gas purchases from Russia. Hungary is also pressing on with the Russia-led expansion of its sole nuclear power plant.
2024, July, 30, 06:35:00
RUSSIA,HUNGARY NUCLEAR PROJECTS
The Paks II project was launched in 2014 by an inter-governmental agreement between Hungary and Russia for two VVER-1200 reactors (units 5&6) to be supplied by Rosatom. The contract was supported by a Russian state loan to finance the majority of the project.
2024, July, 10, 06:45:00
RUSSIAN, HUNGARY NUCLEAR: NO SANCTIONS
The Paks II project was launched in 2014 by an inter-governmental agreement between Hungary and Russia for two VVER-1200 reactors (units 5&6) to be supplied by Rosatom.