EU should delay Russia sanctions decision until Trump inauguration, Hungary says

Hungary’s Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka stated this, according to Reuters.

According to Bóka, Budapest has not yet decided whether to support the extension of European Union sanctions against Russia.

"I think it is only natural that before we decide on the rollover for another six months, we ask the incoming U.S. administration how they see the future of the sanctions regime," he said. 

The minister also emphasized that Hungary seeks to delay its decision on the sanctions until it learns the U.S. administration’s stance on the matter.

"There is no decision on the Hungarian position yet," he added.

Bóka noted that the six-month extension of sanctions involves the economic sector and the freezing of the Russian central bank’s assets.

The EU has approved 15 sanctions packages against Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is currently working on the 16th. The bloc renews existing restrictions every six months, which requires the unanimous approval of all 27 EU member states.

• On January 15, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against entities in China collaborating with Russia to evade restrictions, a financial institution in Kyrgyzstan, two subsidiaries of Rosatom, and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.