The European Union is increasingly frustrated with Hungary’s continued obstruction of sanctions against Russia, leading to renewed discussions about suspending Budapest’s voting rights in the Council of the EU, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The latest dispute arose over Hungary’s refusal to approve the extension of EU sanctions on Russia unless several individuals, including Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman, were removed from the sanctions list.
EU ambassadors reportedly spent an entire day debating with Hungary’s representative in Brussels, who threatened to veto the measure unless Budapest’s demands were met.
The prospect of nearly 2,000 sanctioned individuals—including Russian President Vladimir Putin—being removed from the list due to a Hungarian veto prompted the remaining 26 member states to negotiate a compromise.
As a result, three individuals were ultimately removed from the list, with another exclusion agreed upon earlier. The sanctions were eventually extended for six months.
Despite this resolution, Hungary’s repeated use of its veto power to secure concessions favourable to the Kremlin has led to renewed consideration of invoking Article 7 of the EU Treaty, which could strip Hungary of its voting rights.
The Financial Times reports that a growing number of officials are openly discussing this option, though they acknowledge the political complexities involved.
Hungary’s obstructionism has been a persistent issue in EU decision-making on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government has regularly delayed or diluted sanctions packages and aid to Ukraine, citing national interests and economic concerns. While Article 7 has previously been triggered against Hungary over rule-of-law concerns, the procedure has not progressed to the stage where voting rights are formally suspended.
The next major test will come in July when the EU is set to decide on the renewal of broader economic sanctions against Russia. This includes the freezing of Russian state assets held in European jurisdictions. Should Hungary once again attempt to block the decision, EU states may be pushed to take decisive action against Budapest.
Failure to extend sanctions could result in the unfreezing of a significant portion of Russian assets. Estimates suggest that up to 30% of the total frozen Russian funds—amounting to approximately €60 billion—could be released if sanctions are not upheld.
#Orban policy of hostage taking in negotiations within #EU on behalf of russia has reached another low. Hungary extracted four russians out of 2400 sanctioned list and then gave its OK. EU is less than 27 pic.twitter.com/OlXjBM4eoO
— Petras Austrevicius (@petras_petras) March 14, 2025
While discussions on Article 7 remain preliminary, the latest standoff has underscored the growing tension between Hungary and its EU partners, as well as the broader challenge of maintaining European unity on Russia policy.
Read also:
Orban Prioritises Russian Gas Despite Expected Western Energy Shifts Under Trump
