BRUSSELS: The EU’s executive is looking to support Hungary in beefing up the eastern European state’s oil pipelines, storage and refining capacity, a spokesman said on Tuesday, as Budapest dug its heels in over a Russian oil embargo.
Most other EU countries support banning Russian oil under a new sixth package of sanctions designed to punish Moscow for waging war on Ukraine. Unanimity is required for such a decision, however, with Hungary the most vocal critic.
Over dinner in Budapest on Monday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed investment in upgrading Hungarian oil infrastructure, a spokesman for the latter said on Tuesday.
“What is extremely important… is that we maintain unity of the EU when it comes to sanctions against Russia, this is a collective effort,” the spokesman, Eric Mamer, told a news conference.
“We hope the EU can adopt the sanctions as quickly as possible.”
Von der Leyen said more work was needed to reach agreement and that she would host a discussion about regional cooperation on oil infrastructure.
Mamer refused to say when that call would take place, adding that preparatory technical work was going on.
French President Emmanuel Macron also talked to Orban, the Elysee said on Tuesday, and France’s EU minister said separately an agreement was possible this week. Member states’ EU envoys are due to meet on the matter in Brussels on Wednesday.
But comments from Budapest did not suggest an imminent breakthrough, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto saying the leaders’ dinner marked “a small step forward” but that a lot more work was needed.