Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, following Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has declared that Budapest will block the next extension of EU sanctions against Russia unless Ukraine "refrains from measures that harm Hungary’s energy security".

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has once again threatened to veto EU sanctions against Russia in six months if Ukraine does not resume the transit of Russian gas by then, which he claims he was guaranteed to be restored.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Friday to block the next rollover of EU sanctions against Russia unless Brussels helps achieve a restart of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, which was halted on Jan.

Before reupping the sanctions, Budapest wanted to wait for Trump's inauguration, then insisted Brussels push Ukraine to reopen a gas pipeline running to Central Europe.

The European Union renewed on Monday its wide-ranging sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, after Hungary stopped holding up the move in return for a declaration on energy security.

Hungary, one of Russia’s main friends in the EU, had left its EU counterparts fuming over a refusal so far to approve the move.

Should EU foreign ministers fail to renew the sanctions by January, diplomats say there is still enough time to call an had-hoc emergency EU summit

Hungary has not yet decided whether to support the sanctions rollover due at the end of this month. The EU renews sanctions every six months and requires unanimity among its 27 member countries to do so.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected the bloc to renew its sanctions on Russia on Monday after Hungary signalled it would stop holding up the move in return for assurances about energy security.

European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to extend sanctions on Russia over its war against Ukraine after Hungary lifted its opposition to the move.