Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban no longer wants sanctions against Russia

Viktor Orban, April 6, 2022. REUTERS - BERNADETT SZABO

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The mobilization of reservists in Russia provoked firm reactions from the European Union, which affirmed that it would continue to give its full support to Ukraine.

Will the EU succeed in maintaining its unity?

Or will it divide the 27?

Viktor Orban wants to get the sanctions lifted by December 2022.

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From our correspondent in Brussels

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Three months ago, the last package of European sanctions against Russia had to be negotiated step by step with Hungary.

Viktor Orban therefore always maintains a kind of overhang with the rest of the countries of the European Union.

The Europeans believe, however, that his idea of ​​opposing the renewal of the sanctions already decided on looks more like a posturing by the Prime Minister aimed at Hungarian public opinion than a real threat to European unity, especially that these are only reported comments.

The likely rise to power of the far-right in Italy, it is said in Brussels, will not change the resolution of the 27 and the new sanctions announced by the EU on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly could be prepared in the coming week.

One of the problems the Europeans now have to face is that they have already strongly “disconnected” the Russian economy from that of the European Union and therefore do not have many new sectors left to hit.

According to current plans, new people could be added to the list of those who are banned from entering the EU and whose assets are frozen.

But the main measure could be to impose a ceiling price on oil imported from Russia even before the import halt scheduled for December.

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• Hungary

• Russia