Plans to intensify sanctions on Russia have stalled after Hungary blocked new measures, undercutting a planned show of EU unity.
The European Union has stumbled at a crucial moment in its effort to tighten pressure on Russia, after Hungary unexpectedly blocked a new round of sanctions just as leaders sought to project unity ahead of the war’s fourth anniversary.
“This is a setback and a message we did not want to send today,” said the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, after Monday’s meeting of foreign ministers failed to reach agreement. Diplomats had been racing to finalise both a fresh sanctions package and a major financial lifeline for Kyiv – a combined show of resolve as the conflict grinds on.
Four years on from Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the human toll remains immense, with an estimated 1.8 million Russian and Ukrainian soldiers dead, wounded or missing. European leaders had hoped to underline their continued support for Ukraine while raising the economic cost for Moscow.
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Unity under strain
The proposed measures, if agreed by the European parliament, will be the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia, targeting its shadow fleet and key energy revenues – sectors seen as vital to sustaining the Kremlin’s war effort. Alongside this, ministers are working to approve a €90 billion loan to help Ukraine meet its military and economic needs over the next two years.
Hungary – widely regarded as the bloc’s most Russia-friendly member – disrupted those plans. Over the weekend, Budapest signalled it would block both the sanctions and the loan unless Russian oil deliveries to Hungary resumed.
Those shipments, along with supplies to Slovakia, have been disrupted since late January after reported drone attacks damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude through Ukraine into Central Europe. Ukrainian officials say the damage was caused by Russian strikes, but Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused Kyiv of deliberately holding back supplies – an allegation without evidence.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said energy security was at stake. “No one has the right to put our energy security at risk,” he said ahead of the talks.
Kallas warned that Hungary’s stance also raised legal concerns, noting that backing away from a previously agreed Ukraine loan would run counter to EU treaties.
Despite the impasse, most European leaders struck a determined tone. In Paris, President Emmanuel Macron said Europe’s commitment to Ukraine "remains unwavering”. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, standing alongside him, called on allies to raise the costs for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz marked “four monstrous years of war” and urged continued support, warning that Europe stands “at a crossroads” for its future security.
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Pressure on Moscow
For many in the EU, the logic is clear – the war will only end when it becomes unsustainable for Russia to continue. “This war will only end when Russia no longer sees any sense in continuing it,” Merz said, arguing that Moscow’s war financing must be squeezed further.
Stubb echoed that view, describing Russia’s campaign as a “strategic failure” as well as a military and economic one. “Putin is not winning this war, but he cannot make peace,” he said.
The EU has already committed almost €195 billion in financial assistance to Ukraine and has taken significant steps to curb Russian energy exports. Most European countries have sharply reduced or ended their reliance on Russian oil and gas since 2022.
Hungary and Slovakia, however, remain exceptions. Both have maintained – and in some cases increased – imports under a temporary exemption from the EU’s ban on Russian oil.
Domestic politics may also be shaping Hungary’s position. Orbán, facing a tight election in under two months, has launched an aggressive anti-Ukraine campaign and accused the opposition Tisza party – which leads in many polls – of conspiring with Brussels and Kyiv to install a pro-Ukraine government.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski suggested Hungary’s veto threat may be tied to that political battle. “I would have expected a much greater feeling of solidarity from Hungary for Ukraine,” he said, adding that the government had fostered hostility towards “the victim of aggression”.
The EU’s latest attempt to present a united front has faltered, but most member states remain committed to supporting Kyiv and increasing pressure on Moscow.
(With newswires)
