Hungary is expected to back down from its threat to block the EU from renewing its Russia sanctions after U.S. President Donald Trump menaced Moscow with even more penalties, according to five diplomats familiar with the talks.
In recent days, Hungary has been publicly toying with the possibility that it would refuse to reauthorize the EU’s Russia restrictions — a step all 27 EU countries must take every six months. The penalties cover everything from severe trade restrictions to freezes on almost €200 billion in sovereign assets.
“The time for change has come!” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán proclaimed on Tuesday.
In addition to his typical arguments that the measures are damaging the EU’s economy, Orbán has also been saying the EU must wait to see how Trump would approach Russian sanctions before taking action.
On Wednesday, Orbán got his answer via an unexpectedly bellicose Truth Social post.
Russia, the U.S. president said, must “STOP this ridiculous war.” If it didn’t, he added, “I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the U.S.”
By Thursday, diplomats in Brussels sensed Hungary was ready to drop its veto threat, based on its shifting rhetoric behind closed doors. According to two of the diplomats, Hungary’s representative in meetings on Thursday said his country had yet to make up its mind on the renewal — a marked departure from Orbán’s more oppositional public rhetoric.
“I think Hungary should rather check back with their U.S. hero,” said one EU diplomat with knowledge of the talks, who like others was granted anonymity to speak freely. “He seems to be very much in favor of sanctions against Russia.”
