Czech Foreign Minister slams Hungary’s refusal to back Russian energy ban

Hungarian government’s decision not to support any sanctions against Russian energy export is unacceptable, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

EU states on Monday once again failed to finalise an embargo on Russian oil imports as Hungary maintained its veto on a proposal which is intended to undermine Russia’s financial ability to wage its war against Ukraine.

The ban on crude imports proposed by the European Commission in early May would be its harshest sanction yet in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The embargo is planned to take effect as of 2023. Hungary and Slovakia have been given an exemption until the end of 2024, while Czechia until mid-2024.