Chief EU diplomat says EU unlikely to approve 20th Russia sanctions package on 23 February

The European Union's new package of sanctions against Russia is unlikely to be adopted on Monday 23 February as it is being blocked by Hungary.

Source: Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, before the start of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels

Details: The EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia cannot be approved on 23 February because it is being blocked by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

"Tomorrow marks the fourth anniversary of this horrible war. So of course there is going to be a discussion on the 20th sanctions package. But as you all know, I think there is not going to be any progress regarding this today," Kallas said.

Nevertheless, she promised that she would "definitely make this push" to move the decision forward.

"We are, of course, doing our utmost to have this sanctions package, to push this through. I've talked to the member states who are also going to raise this and convince the countries who are blocking it – and we are also looking at ways how we can do it. But as we have heard some very strong statements from Hungary, that's why I don't really see that they are going to change, unfortunately, this position that they have today," Kallas said.

She pointed out that Hungary has been blocking sanctions because of "problems that they have that are totally not related to the 20th sanctions package".

"Let's listen to them explaining what are the reasons why they are blocking it, and then see whether there are possibilities to overcome," Kallas added.

Background:

• As previously reported by European Pravda, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has announced that Hungary will block the EU's adoption of its 20th Russia sanctions package on 23 February on the grounds that, according to Hungary, Ukraine is deliberately not repairing the Druzhba oil pipeline.
• Hungary is also officially refusing to approve the allocation of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine that had previously been agreed in Brussels.
• Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Ukraine rejects and condemns the ultimatums and blackmail by the Hungarian and Slovakian governments regarding the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline.

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