The two countries block negotiations on the sixth sanctions package, which will continue this weekend
The embargo on Russian oil met the reticence of Hungary and Slovakia. The two member states are holding negotiations to approve the sixth package of sanctions against Moscow so that their economies cannot resist the veto over Russian oil imports. Diplomatic sources on Friday confirmed the “difficult” negotiations being conducted by the ambassadors of the Twenty-seven, who clashed over “more technical than political” issues of the new round of penalties.
While some states and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, urged action as soon as possible, Hungary and Slovakia expressed their rejection of the gradual withdrawal of Russian oil imports. The two countries consider the deadline given by Brussels to cease imports of Russian crude oil as insufficient.
The original idea was to end dependence on Moscow by the end of this year, but the European Commission has made an exception for Hungary and Slovakia, giving them another year, until the end of 2023. And it is that oil and its derivatives these two regions come almost exclusively from Russia and through one pipeline, making it difficult to replace other suppliers.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán even said in a radio interview that Moscow’s veto on crude oil is “a red line” and that it is tantamount to “dropping an atomic bomb on the country’s economy”. On Wednesday, Hungary already showed its rejection of the draft embargo “in its current form”. “The proposal has been forwarded to the President (Von der Leyen) for her to rework it and we are waiting for a new proposal,” Orbán said Friday.
In practice, the Hungarian ‘no’ blocks the application of sanctions, as they are measures requiring the unanimity of the twenty-seven. Slovakia has also shown its reluctance, even asking for a three-year period to cut energy ties with Russia.
The decision to include the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church among those sanctioned – for his support of the attack on Ukraine – is also difficult to fit into the negotiations. The sixth set of sanctions also includes SWIFT’s withdrawal from Sberbank and more penalties for specific individuals. However, the debate will continue this weekend and, according to European sources, only the oil veto point remains open.
Source: La Verdad
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