Hungary seeks new guarantees regarding gas transit negotiations to Ukraine and aims to exclude eight individuals from the European Union's sanctions list against Russia before agreeing to extend the restrictions, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing diplomatic sources within the EU.
As reported, in January, Budapest, which maintained close ties with Moscow during the war, suspended the extension of economic sanctions that involve freezing the assets of the Central Bank of Russia. The agreements were reached after the European Commission agreed to include Hungary in discussions for resuming gas transit to the EU through Ukraine.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated to reporters on Monday that the Commission had not fulfilled its prior commitment after Budapest was not invited to a meeting with Slovakia and Ukraine.
Also on Monday, Szijjarto posted on Facebook that Budapest "will not agree to rush" into expanding sanctions against individuals.
According to the report, sanctions against Russia consist of two blocks that are enacted at different times. One covers economic measures, while the other includes a list of more than 2,400 individuals and entities whose assets are subject to freezing and who are banned from entry.
Diplomats declined to disclose the names of the individuals Hungary wishes to remove, citing the confidential nature of the discussions.
It was previously reported that Szijjarto stated the European Union provided Hungary with the requested security guarantees in the energy sector. According to him, EU authorities made it clear that "the integrity of the energy infrastructure that meets the needs of EU member states is a matter of the entire European Union's security."
"The European Commission is also seeking guarantees from Ukraine to maintain oil supplies to the EU," added the head of Hungary's foreign ministry.