The European Union (EU) agreed to renew sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine, which has yet to achieve a ceasefire after nearly three years of conflict. The measure was unanimously approved at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Brussels, after Hungary gave its approval, having threatened not to do so.
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, stated: "Europe delivers: the EU foreign ministers have just agreed to extend sanctions against Russia again." This decision aims to continue depriving Moscow of the revenues to finance its war in Ukraine.
On the other hand, Hungary expressed its intention to change its stance on sanctions due to the arrival of Donald Trump to power. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán requested Ukraine to reopen the transit routes for Russian gas to Central Europe, noting that Russia must be held accountable for the damage caused.
Since 2014, the European Union has implemented 15 packages of sanctions against Russia in sectors such as oil, technology, and economic assets. The latest of these packages expired on January 31 and required unanimous backing from all EU member states.
