Hungary and Slovakia have jointly vetoed the European Union’s proposed 18th package of sanctions against Russia, citing grave concerns over energy security, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto revealed on Monday.
Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Szijjarto explained that the veto came in response to plans within the sanctions package aimed at reducing Russian energy imports — a move Budapest sees as a direct threat to its national interests.
“This proposal would severely jeopardize our energy supply and dramatically raise prices for Hungarian families,” Szijjarto said, reiterating that Hungary is not willing to bear the economic burden of policies it views as damaging.
Hungary, which relies heavily on Russian gas and oil through long-term agreements with Gazprom, has been a consistent critic of energy-related sanctions on Moscow since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Slovakia, with similar energy dependencies, backed Budapest in blocking the sanctions package.
The key objection from both countries was tied to a separate EU proposal aimed at phasing out all remaining Russian gas imports by 2027 — a policy announced last week by EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen with support from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Although trade legislation in the EU doesn’t require unanimous approval, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and reportedly Italy, have raised objections that could complicate or delay the plan’s implementation.
Commenting on the EU’s ambitions, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev criticized the bloc’s leadership, saying: “EU Commission bureaucrats appear determined to make Europe less competitive on the global stage.”
Despite sharp declines in pipeline gas imports from Russia, the EU’s purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) have continued to grow. In 2024, Russia accounted for 17.5% of the EU’s LNG imports, second only to the US. France, Spain, and Belgium received the majority of those shipments, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).
Russia, for its part, maintains that it remains a reliable energy partner and has condemned the EU’s sanctions as violations of international trade law.
