Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that Hungary chose not to block the EU sanctions against Moscow’s war machine following US President Donald Trump’s stance on Russia, RMF24 reports.
EU sanctions are renewed every six months through a vote, requiring unanimous approval from all 27 member states. On 27 January, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas confirmed that the bloc extended sanctions against Russia for another six months. Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had suggested that the EU should lift sanctions and work to restore relations with Russia.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski believes Hungary lifted its veto after Trump’s remarks, where he threatened sanctions against Russia if it did not agree to peace talks over the war in Ukraine.
Sikorski emphasized that this was the first definitive stance by the new US president on the war, which influenced Budapest to change its position.
“I think President Trump played a key role here,” Sikorski remarked.
Earlier, Politico reported that Trump and Ukrainian officials have starkly different views on ending the war. They do not believe Trump can secure a favorable peace deal. Instead, they’re banking on Putin’s intransigence, eventually frustrating Trump and leading to stronger US support for Ukraine. Their calculation rests on the belief that Putin will accept nothing less than Ukraine’s complete surrender—something they expect Trump to reject.
Trump, meanwhile, believes he can pressure Putin into a fair settlement through threats of enhanced economic warfare against Russia’s already struggling economy.
Politico: Ukraine hopes Putin’s behavior will turn Trump against Russia
Related:
- Ukraine needs combat-ready peacekeepers to counter Russian advances, says former ambassador
- Trump’s “60 million Russian deaths”: the dangerous myth behind his Ukraine peace plan
- US diplomats seek Ukraine exemption from Rubio’s aid freeze
- USAID Ukraine office ordered to suspend all project funding, Suspilne says
- The Independent: Trump plans to end war in Ukraine by spring, sources say
- ISW: Putin tells Russians to expect long war