Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called for EU sanctions against Russia to be lifted by the end of the year at the latest.

According to the pro-government daily Magyar Nemzet, the right-wing populist said that the punitive measures imposed on Moscow after the attack on Ukraine were "forced on the Europeans by the Brussels bureaucrats".

Orbán spoke on Wednesday evening at a faction meeting of the ruling party Fidesz in Balatonalmadi on Lake Balaton.

"The sanctions cause economic problems, the energy crisis and inflation," he said.

Orbán maintains a good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

So far, however, he has supported the EU sanctions against Russia.

At the same time, he was able to obtain an exemption from the oil embargo for his country.

The sanctions decisions of the EU require unanimity among the member states.

Hungary has been a member of the Union since 2004.

"Sanctions harm the East German economy in particular"

The EU foreign ministers had previously agreed on further sanctions against Russia after its partial mobilization.

"It is clear that Russia is trying to destroy Ukraine," said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Wednesday evening after a special meeting of EU foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

"We will take new restrictive measures both at a personal and at a sectoral level." This should be done in coordination with the international partners.

The punitive measures would have further implications for the Russian economy, such as the technology sector.

In addition, Borrell said that Ukraine should receive more weapons.

He did not give details.

The decisions should be taken at a later date at a formal meeting.

It was about sending a powerful message after Putin's speech, Borrell said.

Meanwhile, the new chairman of the German-Russian partnership association in Schwerin has sharply criticized EU policy and called for an end to the sanctions against Russia.

He accused the media of "baiting".

“I oppose the one-sided and often inflammatory reporting in many of our media.

The unjustifiable sanctions against Russia have caused serious damage, especially to the economy of East Germany," SPD politician Mario Bauch wrote on his website.

The NDR had previously reported about it.

The friendship association, which was criticized in the course of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and was supported by the pipeline operator Nord Stream 2, among others, voted Bauch to the top last Friday.

His predecessor, the former Prime Minister Erwin Sellering (SPD), had initiated the founding of the association, but work was temporarily stopped after the start of the war.

As reported by the NDR, the SPD parliamentary group leader in the Schwerin state parliament, Julian Barlen, has already called for Bauch's resignation as club chairman.

This only speaks for itself, this is not the position of the SPD Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.