Hungary Threatens to Block EU Sanctions on 2,000 Russians by Saturday Unless 9 Individuals, Including Fridman, Are Exempted

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Updated Mar 13, 2025, 06:46 PM

Hungary has threatened to block the European Union's renewal of sanctions against approximately 2,000 Russians unless oligarch Mikhail Fridman is removed from the sanctions list. The sanctions, which include travel restrictions and asset freezes, are set to expire on Saturday unless all 27 EU member states agree to extend them for another six months. Hungary's ambassador to the EU has demanded the removal of 9 individuals, including Fridman, as a condition for Budapest's approval of the sanctions extension. This demand is supported by Luxembourg, where Fridman has filed a lawsuit seeking $15.8 billion in damages related to the sanctions. The EU ambassadors are set to meet in Brussels to negotiate, but a compromise has not yet been reached. The sanctions targeted individuals and entities believed to have supported or facilitated Russia's war against Ukraine. Hungary's stance could lead to the unfreezing of billions in Russian assets, impacting potential financial aid for Ukraine's reconstruction and military needs. EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anitta Hipper stated that the EU has no plans to lift sanctions on Russia and is working on a new sanctions package, despite Hungary's and Slovakia's reticence.

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#Hungary #European Union #Russian #Mikhail Fridman #EU #Fridman #Budapest #Luxembourg #Brussels #Russia #Ukraine #Anitta Hipper #Slovakia

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Sources

ft.com(5)tijd.be vedomosti.ru libertatea.ro

De Tijd

@tijd

Hungary is once again stifling European sanctions against Russia https://t.co/PVHsKwOjEV https://t.co/SyIUBAvbWK

Ведомости

@Vedomosti

Hungary intends to block a resolution extending sanctions against about 2,000 Russian citizens if the European Union does not exclude Mikhail Friedman, co-founder of Alfa Bank, from the list. This is reported by the Financial Times (FT), citing four European... https://t.co/sFhoy6LsGb

Ziarul Financiar

@ZiarulFinanciar

Viktor Orban blocks EU plans again: Hungary has threatened to block the renewal of EU sanctions against some 2,000 Russians if oligarch Mikhail Fridman is not removed from the list. https://t.co/AXlhy0A0DL