During a meeting in Brussels on Monday, the European Union’s foreign ministers unanimously decided to extend economic sanctions against Russia. These sanctions were originally set to expire next Friday. Hungary, which had previously blocked the extension, received assurances that the European Commission (EC) would continue negotiations with Ukraine regarding gas transit.
Hungary’s opposition to the sanctions stemmed from its concern over the change in the U.S. government. After Donald Trump assumed the presidency, Hungary began demanding guarantees about gas transit through Ukraine. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated he was waiting for security guarantees from the EC regarding gas supplies.
Due to the potential risk of Hungary blocking this decision, the member states’ ambassadors convened in Brussels on Monday morning before the ministers’ meeting. An EU source reported that during this meeting, Hungary received guarantees from the EC about ongoing negotiations with Ukraine concerning gas transit. The EC assured that Hungary and Slovakia would be included in these discussions.
Subsequently, they added the final decision on extending the sanctions and the “energy guarantees” for Hungary to the foreign ministers’ meeting agenda.
Ukraine has announced that it will not extend a Russian gas transit agreement set to expire at the end of this year, which Hungary and Slovakia claim threatens their energy security.
The Commission has pledged to ask Ukraine for assurances regarding the ongoing oil transport via pipelines to the EU. Slovakia had already contacted the European Commission about the implications of terminating gas transit through Ukraine. Following Prime Minister Robert Fico‘s visit on 9 January, the EC committed to initiating talks with Ukraine and establishing a special working group that includes EU officials and the Slovak government.
The EC believes that the expiration of the Russian gas transit agreement through Ukraine does not threaten the security of gas supplies to the EU. EC spokesperson Anna Kaisa Itkonen, when asked why the EC supports Slovakia and engages in talks if there is no perceived threat, explained that “preparations for the expiration of the transit agreement did not conclude overnight with the agreement’s termination.” She added that the Commission will work with member states and countries in the region, “especially concerning the EC’s plans for a road to eliminate our dependency on Russian raw materials.”
