The European Union is exploring ways to extend sanctions against Russia that wouldn’t require the support of all 27 member states.
People familiar with the matter reported that to Bloomberg, according to Ukrinform.
Such a maneuver would allow the EU to renew sanctions, which must be approved every six months, despite opposition from Hungary.
Sources told that the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, is considering whether it can reclassify the sanctions as trade measures, which would not require unanimous agreement. Trade measures typically only need a qualified majority for approval.
The next renewal of sanctions against Russia is scheduled for July. Hungary has repeatedly threatened to veto these measures, as it has in the past, before backing down amid negotiations with the European Commission.
The bloc will also have to renew other actions, including the freezing of nearly €200 billion ($227 billion) in Russian central bank assets and the listing of hundreds of individuals and entities that have supported Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Another option, according to the sources, could be the formation of a coalition of willing EU member states that would impose the sanctions at the national level.
The EU has already adopted 16 packages of sanctions against Russia and is currently working on a new set of measures.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán maintains close ties with Vladimir Putin and claims that Russia poses no military threat to the EU.
The Trump administration currently maintains its sanctions, though it has indicated they could be part of negotiations.
So far, most European leaders have firmly rejected any easing of sanctions on Moscow and instead advocate increasing pressure on Russia.
As previously reported, Hungary continues to block the first negotiation cluster in Ukraine’s EU accession talks, according to the Polish EU Presidency.
Earlier, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that concrete measures must be urgently taken to suspend Hungary’s voting rights in the EU, as Budapest consistently acts against the shared security interests of Europe.
Source: EU exploring ways to bypass Hungary’s decisions on sanctions against Russia – Bloomberg
