Lithuania says EU must not become ‘hostage’ to Hungary over Russia sanctions

LONDON

Lithuania’s foreign minister on Monday said the EU must not become a “hostage” to Hungary, as Budapest threatens to block the latest sanctions against Russia.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the EU cannot allow one member state to delay collective action, according to the Lithuanian National Radio and Television.

“We cannot become hostages of one country,” Budrys said. “If other countries raise specific questions related to the continued operations of their companies, we have Hungary, which in principle is simply blocking and that’s it.”

On Sunday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Budapest would block the sanctions unless Ukraine reopens a major oil pipeline supplying the country.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the Druzhba pipeline, which runs from Russia through Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary, was shut down after being damaged in a Russian attack in January.

Budrys said the pipeline had not been blocked but damaged by Russian forces and is currently under repair. He added that Southern European countries have repeatedly offered alternative ways to ensure oil supplies to Hungary.

“That does not suit Hungary. It wants its Russian oil, which is cheap, convenient,” he said, adding that he sees “a lot of politics” in Budapest’s position.

Earlier this month, the European Commission proposed new sanctions targeting Russia’s banking and energy sectors, marking what would be the bloc’s 20th sanctions package since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.