BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� The failed to pass new sanctions on on Monday after surprise objections from Hungary, the bloc’s top diplomat said.
鈥淭his is a setback and a message we did not want to send today,鈥� said Kaja Kallas, the EU鈥檚 foreign policy chief. Foreign ministers had scrambled to finalize the sanctions along with a massive new loan for Kyiv ahead of the that has left an estimated .
Monday’s meeting sought to make Russia pay a greater economic price for the all-out war it launched against its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022, and which shows no sign of ending.
Hungary, seen as the EU’s most pro-Russian member, to hold up both the sanctions and the 90 billion euro ($106 billion) meant to help Ukraine meet its military and economic needs for the next two years.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz marked what he called 鈥渇our monstrous years of war鈥� at a pro-Ukrainian event in Berlin on Monday.
鈥淚 appeal again to our European partners: Do not let up in your support, in our common support, for Ukraine,鈥� Merz said. 鈥淲e are standing at a crossroads that could decide on the well-being of our whole continent.鈥�
In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that 鈥渙ur determination to continue supporting Ukraine is unwavering.鈥� He met with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, another staunch supporter of Kyiv who urged European allies to raise the costs on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Grappling with Hungary’s objections
Many EU leaders had hoped to move forward on the 20th package of sanctions targeting Russia鈥檚 and before Tuesday’s anniversary of the war.
But Hungary said it would stand firm until Russian oil deliveries to Hungary resume. It had previously agreed to the loan to Ukraine. Kallas said reneging on that goes against EU treaties.
Russian to Hungary and Slovakia have been interrupted since Jan. 27 after what Ukrainian officials say were damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude across Ukrainian territory and into Central Europe.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n doubled down Monday on an unsubstantiated allegation that Ukraine is deliberately holding back shipments of Russian oil, and accused Kyiv of seeking to topple his government. He referred to the oil supply disruptions as a 鈥淯krainian oil blockade鈥� led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
鈥淣o one has the right to put our energy security at risk,鈥� Hungarian Foreign Minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 told journalists ahead of the meeting.
Raising the pressure on Russia
Some European leaders stressed that the most effective way to get Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine is to raise the cost to Moscow of continuing the war.
鈥淭his war will only end when Russia no longer sees any sense in continuing it, when Russia can no longer expect more territorial gains, when Russia鈥檚 costs for this madness have simply become too high,鈥� Merz said. 鈥淲e must dry up Moscow鈥檚 war financing.鈥�
Finland’s leader argued that Russia’s war was a 鈥渟trategic failure鈥� as he made the case for ratcheting up pressure on Putin.
鈥淚t is also a military failure 鈥� he is now losing many soldiers 鈥� and, on top of that, it is an economic failure,鈥� Stubb said, speaking in French. 鈥淧utin is not winning this war, but he cannot make peace.鈥�
The EU already has sent Ukraine 194.9 billion euros ($229.8 billion) in financial assistance while .
Nearly every country in Europe has significantly reduced or ceased Russian energy imports since Moscow launched its full-scale war in Ukraine. Yet Hungary and Slovakia, both EU and NATO members, have maintained and even increased supplies of Russian oil and gas, and received a temporary exemption from an EU policy .
Hungary’s looming election
Facing a crucial election in less than two months, Orb谩n has launched an aggressive anti-Ukraine campaign and accused the opposition Tisza party, which leads in most polls, of conspiring with the EU and Ukraine to install what he called Monday a 鈥減ro-Ukraine government aligned with Brussels and Kyiv.鈥�
Poland鈥檚 Foreign Minister Rados艂aw Sikorski said he believed Hungary鈥檚 veto threat could really be about to hold onto power.
Orb谩n, the EU鈥檚 longest-serving leader, will face the greatest challenge to his power since he took office in 2010.
鈥淚 would have expected a much greater feeling of solidarity from Hungary for Ukraine,鈥� Sikorski said in Brussels. 鈥淭he ruling party managed to create a climate of hostility towards the victim of aggression. And then it is now trying to exploit that in the general election. It鈥檚 quite shocking.鈥�
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Corbet reported from Paris. Associated Press writers Justin Spike in Budapest and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
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