Hungary continues to use EU veto power, stops Russian sanction package

Hungary has used its veto power to halt another important EU decision, this time against a new Russia sanctions package and a proposal to double the EU’s fund for providing weapons to Ukraine and other countries.

As the FT reported, many European delegates are becoming increasingly frustrated with Hungary's approach of blocking major campaigns, such as the recently vetoed $18 billion aid package for Ukraine. “They are being difficult wherever they can”, a senior EU official said, adding that Hungary "is becoming rather predictable”.

Caliber.Az recalls, that Budapest was told that it's €5.8 billion pandemic recovery cash and other EU funding wasn’t arriving anytime soon. FT argues, that it is using the biggest weapon it has in response to that, namely veto any EU decision requiring unanimity among all 27 member states.

According to FT, some diplomats already expressed anxiety that Hungary would “take hostage” all upcoming EU decisions that require unanimity, not just the €18 billion for Ukraine and an OECD corporate tax deal that Budapest blocked in June.