FM Szijjártó: Hungary will block extending the EU’s anti-Putin sanctions to help US-Russian talks

Hungary will not vote in favour of extending current sanctions on Russian and Belarusian individuals at an upcoming meeting of the European Union’s foreign affairs council, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in Washington, DC.

Time should be allowed for US-Russian talks

“Time should be allowed for US-Russian talks,” the foreign ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying on Thursday. Before his meeting the US national security advisor, Szijjártó said “Europe’s liberal politicians clearly want Ukraine to go on with the war and they are pressing the Ukrainian president in that direction,” according to the ministry’s statement. “Of course I don’t know how much pressing he needs, but it is certain that he is continuously inspired and encouraged to continue the war,” he added.

The EU’s foreign affairs council will meet next Monday, and “already the Hungarian government is under huge pressure regarding the extension of sanctions against Russian and Belarusian nationals,” Szijjártó said, adding that the current sanctions would expire on March 15, while the relevant decision must be made by March 10.

“It is clear however that Europe’s pro-war politicians are rushing ahead and trying to create difficulties for the peace process, constantly urging lightning fast decisions in Brussels through which they could thwart the peace process,” he said. “We will not consent on Monday to extending the regime of sanctions on individuals by six months,” the minister said.

They have time

Concerning the European Commission, Szijjártó said the body had breached one of four guarantees it had given the Hungarian government to ensure Hungary’s gas supplies received through Ukraine. The EC had agreed to negotiate restarting gas shipments through Ukraine with Hungary’s participation, but “we were not invited to the talks … the EC invited only Slovakia and Ukraine,” he said.

Szijjártó said the Hungarian delegation had time until March 10 “to see what decision needs to be taken” concerning the extension of the sanctions in view of the Russia-US talks, Szijjártó said.

He slammed the European proposal to pass a package of some 20 billion euros aimed helping Ukraine “avoid a not too advantageous deal during the peace negotiations”. “We will not support that on Monday either… We will not support spending 20 billion euros of European taxpayers’ money for Ukraine to continue the war,” Szijjártó said.

The minister said Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president was “a big win” for the “peace camp”. “The war camp has started wailing; they had to come out into the open and take a clear stand… The question is whether the war camp, basically led by liberal European politicians, can thwart Donald Trump’s efforts to make peace in Ukraine,” he said, adding however that the highest level talks between the US and Russia had “brought the solution closer than ever, creating a hope for peace.”