In addition to Hungary, one more country is blocking the new EU sanctions – the media
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After largely going it alone in opposing Russian sanctions, Budapest is now backed by Athens in its skepticism about new measures against Russia.
As “European Truth” reports, Politico writes about this with reference to five EU diplomats.
Currently, the EU is discussing the 11th package of sanctions against Russia. If the 10 previous packages of sanctions were aimed at measures against the economy of the Russian Federation, now Brussels wants to avoid circumventing its sanctions. In an unprecedented move, the current package of sanctions could target other countries that help Moscow evade trade embargoes.
But Budapest and Athens opposed it, linking their approval of the package to a separate pressing issue concerning Ukraine. Kyiv has compiled a list of private companies it calls “war sponsors”, which includes a number of European companies.
The two countries want some of their companies off the list before they agree to the sanctions package. Although these issues are usually unrelated, Hungary and Greece are using the sanctions package as political leverage to delist their companies from Ukraine.
This caused tension at a meeting of EU foreign ministers earlier this week, where German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbok directly criticized Hungaryaccording to diplomats familiar with the exchange of views.
Greece was in the spotlight at a meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday, four diplomats said. Athens opposed suggestions of circumvention of sanctions.
“Greece reiterated that in case of concrete evidence of violation of sanctions, they should be brought to the attention of the relevant member states at the technical level so that it is adequately investigated and then appropriate measures are taken,” said one of the EU diplomats.
Another EU diplomat said that as long as Hungary and Greece refuse to agree on anything before their companies are delisted, “there is no pressure for real progress elsewhere”.
However, diplomats also say that they see Athens and Budapest differently. The level of dissatisfaction with Budapest is much higher given that its pro-Russian and pro-Chinese line has often prevented the EU from reaching unanimity in its statements regarding Moscow and Beijing.
As you know, Hungary blocked the next tranche for 500 million euros from the European Peace Fund, which supports Ukraine with weapons.
We will remind, in an interview with Bloomberg Viktor Orban also said that Ukraine is not capable of winning an aggressive war launched against it by Russia. Statements of the Hungarian Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine sharply criticized.
European truth
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