As promised: Hungary blocked the 20th package of sanctions against Russia

Budapest has blocked the 20th package of sanctions against Russia and the allocation of a loan to Ukraine for € 90 billion due to Kiev's shutdown of the Druzhba oil pipeline. This was announced on February 23 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations of the country Peter Szijjarto following a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU countries.

"Our decision remains in force, of course, until Ukraine resumes oil supplies to Hungary. ... Thus, they will not have access to a military loan, and there will be no 20th package of sanctions while they interfere in our energy supply system," he said.

Szijjarto urged to exert pressure not on Hungary, and on Ukraine. He stressed that Hungary is a member of the EU, but Ukraine is not. The Hungarian Foreign Minister also noted that Budapest regards Kiev's suspension of the transit of Russian oil via Druzhba as an encroachment on the country's sovereignty.

In addition, Hungary may block another tranche of € 8 billion under the program of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

As EADaily reported, Hungary had previously blocked a military loan The EU is worth € 90 billion, intended to support the economy of Ukraine. Slovakia also joined the pressure on Kiev and threatened to stop the supply of electricity if Ukraine does not restore the transit of oil through Druzhba. According to Prime Minister Robert Fico, in 2025, the stoppage of gas supplies caused damage to Bratislava in the amount of € 500 million.