Hungary is demanding the removal of eight individuals from the EU's Russia sanctions list and guarantees on Ukraine's gas transit talks before agreeing to renew restrictions, Reuters reported on Feb. 25, citing sources familiar with the matter.
EU sanctions against Russia must be renewed unanimously every six months, and Budapest has repeatedly used the process to negotiate concessions for itself.
Hungary has previously secured exemptions for Moscow Patriarch Kirill and domestic use of Russian oil products. Kirill, a close Kremlin ally, has publicly supported Russia's war against Ukraine, yet Budapest has blocked EU efforts to sanction him.
The source declined to disclose the names of the individuals Hungary wants removed from the sanctions list.
Earlier on Feb. 19, EU ambassadors agreed on a new package of sanctions, targeting Russia's aluminum trade and the "shadow fleet" of oil tankers.
The EU's sanctions framework consists of economic measures and a list of over 2,400 individuals and entities subject to asset freezes and travel bans.
Hungary's demand to hold gas transit talks with Ukraine is related to Kyiv's decision to not extend an agreement with Russia, which ensured a gas transit to Europe. As the agreement expired on Jan. 1, Kyiv said it would not finance Russia's war by allowing the transit going forward.
While the EU has reduced reliance on Russian fossil fuels, Hungary and Slovakia remain dependent on Russian gas. Budapest imports around 4.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas annually under a 15-year agreement signed in 2021.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, meeting with him and amplifying pro-Russian narratives in Europe.
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