Hungarians allow the EU to renew sanctions on Russia and back down from their previous threat of veto immunity

The Associated Press

In a statement released on Sunday, minister Chikli said he “regretted receiving instructions from security officials” to cancel his participation in the holocaust memorial event.
ADVERTISEMENT Hungary has backed down from its veto threat and on Monday allowed the renewal of EU sanctions against Russia for an additional six months, bringing to a close the short-lived political saga that had put Brussels on edge.
Hungary, however, had never before threatened to derail the entire regime of sanctions painstakingly built across 15 different packages.
In the statement presented to foreign affairs ministers on Monday, the Commission and the High Representative describe “the integrity of the energy infrastructure” as a “matter of EU security” that other countries should “respect.”
The so-called Compass will aim to boost innovation capacities, strengthen Europe’s economic security and develop the bloc’s clean industry.

POSITIVE

Citing security concerns, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed Amichai Chikli, the minister of diaspora affairs, to postpone his scheduled trip to the European Parliament in Brussels this week.

According to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office, the decision was made “in light of concrete warnings, and in accordance with the guidance of security officials,”.

The warnings, according to Israeli sources who spoke to Euronews, originated with Israel’s security services rather than Belgian authorities. No other information regarding the nature of the threat has been made public.

Minister Chikli “regretted receiving instructions from security officials” to withdraw from the Holocaust memorial event, according to a statement issued on Sunday. He continued, “Unfortunately, Jews and Israelis no longer feel safe in the European capital.”.

On Tuesday, January 28, Chikli was scheduled to speak at a Holocaust memorial event in the European Parliament, which was organized by Lukas Mandl and Andrey Kovatchev, two lawmakers from the center-right European People’s Party (EPP).

But in a letter to the two MEPs, more than 40 relatives of Israeli hostages captured by Hamas in October 2023 demanded that minister Chikli’s invitation be revoked because of his “support” for far-right European politicians, his public remarks advocating for the expulsion of people from southern Lebanon and Gaza, and his opposition to the hostage-ceasefire agreement.

Just two Likud cabinet members, including Chikli, who is a member of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party, voted against an agreement that guaranteed the current ceasefire in Gaza and the gradual return of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

32 Jewish community leaders also signed the letter, which states that “Minister Chikli’s extremist and divisive positions do not reflect the values or voices of the broader Israeli public or global Jewish communities.”.

While expressing regret that an event on such a significant topic had to be canceled, Dan Sobovitz, the letter’s coordinator, told Euronews that the signatories were pleased that the presence of a highly controversial figure did not overshadow the event.

“The fight against antisemitism and Holocaust Remembrance Day are far too important to be abused by those who sow fear and hatred in our increasingly polarized societies,” Sobovitz stated. “Israeli ministers must also realize that by voting against the hostage-ceasefire agreement, they are standing in opposition to both the Jewish community as a whole and the vast majority of Israelis, who overwhelmingly support this life-saving agreement. “.”.

In addition, Sobovitz praised Swedish MEP Evin Incir and the parliament for leading the charge to “make sure that this solemn occasion remains dignified and unifying.”. “,”.

The relatives of the hostages have reportedly called for MEP Incir to rally support for the removal of Chikli’s invitation. Incir wrote in a letter to other lawmakers that Euronews was able to obtain: “As lawmakers (. It is our duty to defend human rights, international law, and the advancement of peace. Maintaining Chikli’s invitation would have gone against EU principles. “.”.

A serious and expanding issue, antisemitism demands our cooperation and solidarity. In addition, we have an obligation to fulfill our part in upholding the life-saving deal that offers millions of people in Israel, Palestine, and the rest of the world hope,” Incir continued.

Tal Rabina, the strategic director of the European Jewish Association, which provided support for the event’s planning, has apologized for the minister’s forced cancellation.

Rabina said, “The fact that an Israeli minister had to cancel his trip to a Western European country in 2025 for security reasons is more evidence than anything else that all the leaders’ ‘never again’ declarations are hollow.”.

The hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group organised an event on Tuesday morning called “Defending Western Values in the European Parliament” that Chikli was scheduled to attend.

According to the Foundation, Chikli is “avoiding justice.”.

Frequently bringing legal complaints against Israeli soldiers for alleged human rights abuses, the Hind Rajab Foundation has stated that it thinks the cancellation of the visit “has more to do with avoiding justice and legal action.”. “.”.

Later this month, after minister Chikli sent him a threatening message on social media platform X, its founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a political activist from southern Lebanon, declared he would file a complaint with the Belgian public prosecutor.

Chikli wrote on January 6: “Hello, our human rights advocate. “Watch out for your pager,” alluding to an Israeli attack in September 2024 that destroyed hundreds of pagers meant for Hezbollah, a Shia militant group in Lebanon, and is thought to have killed civilian bystanders as well.

Citing a story from the New York Times, Chikli shared an article from the Jerusalem Post that claims Jahjah joined Hezbollah when he was younger.

Both the Hind Rajab and Jahjah were contacted by Euronews for additional comment, but as of the time of publication, neither had responded.

The short-lived political drama that had Brussels on edge came to an end on Monday when Hungary retracted its threat of veto and approved the extension of EU sanctions against Russia for another six months.

A statement regarding “the integrity of the energy infrastructure” was proposed at a meeting of foreign affairs ministers to allay Budapest’s worries, according to multiple diplomats who spoke to Euronews about the breakthrough.

Moscow will continue to lose out on income to pay for its war as a result of the extension. High Representative Kaja Kallas stated that Russia must make amends for the harm they are causing.

If no agreement could be reached, the sectoral sanctions, which include broad prohibitions on luxury goods, technology, finance, oil, coal, transportation, and broadcasting, as well as the freezing of €210 billion in assets from Russia’s Central Bank, were set to expire on January 31.

Hungary increased the intensity of its criticism in the days before the deadline, claiming that Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president called for a more comprehensive review of the bloc’s strategy and the way sanctions are renewed every six months.

When Prime Minister Viktor Orbán directly linked Hungary and Slovakia to an unrelated dispute with Ukraine over the transit of Russian gas, which Kyiv ended at the end of 2024, he escalated the situation last Friday.

“What is currently closed needs to be reopened. In a radio interview, Orbán stated, “This is not a matter for Ukraine; it is an issue for Europe, an issue for central Europe.”.

“Let’s reopen the gas transit routes so that Hungary and other central European nations can get the gas we need through Ukraine if the Ukrainians want assistance, such as by imposing sanctions on the Russians. “.

The dispute was rebuffed by diplomats in Brussels, who criticized Hungary’s “transactional” diplomacy, which has been used repeatedly since Russia invaded Ukraine without warning. However, Hungary had never before threatened to topple the entire sanctions regime, which had been meticulously crafted across 15 distinct packages.

After a meeting of EU ambassadors failed to produce a resolution, a diplomat stated on Friday that “the threats are taken seriously.”.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed signs of a compromise over the weekend when he expressed his willingness to allow Azeri gas to pass through his nation. Previously, he had dismissed this as a “game” that Russia could easily get around.

“There are supply routes from Azerbaijan, and there is gas.”. At a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Saturday, Zelenskyy stated, “The key is having the political will to work for your people, not with Moscow for some shadowy benefit, as some figures in Eastern Europe do.”.

Hungary and Slovakia, both landlocked nations, have pushed hard for the continuation of the transit through Ukraine, whether it be with Azeri or Russian gas, stating that the sudden change in energy supplies would have a devastating effect on their national economies.

The European Commission, which implicitly supported Zelenskyy’s decision to end the long-term agreement with Gazprom, maintains that the disruption will be minimal because the EU is ready to move away from Russian fuels.

“The integrity of the energy infrastructure” is a “matter of EU security” that other nations should “respect,” according to the statement the Commission and the High Representative gave to foreign affairs ministers on Monday. “..”.

The non-binding document mentions discussions about oil and gas flows with Kyiv. Neither Russia nor Azerbaijan are mentioned.

“The Commission is prepared to carry on with talks with Ukraine regarding the supply to Europe via Ukraine’s gas pipeline system in accordance with Ukraine’s international commitments. According to Euronews, the statement states that the Commission is prepared to include Hungary in the process (along with Slovakia).

The Commission’s promise to hold additional negotiations with Ukraine was warmly received by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. “Hungary has obtained the assurances it sought with regard to our nation’s energy security,” Szijjártó declared.

Although the current dispute with Budapest is over, a new one could soon begin as Brussels is already working on the 16th set of sanctions against Russia, which it hopes to approve before the war’s third anniversary in late February. It will need to be unanimous.

There are now more details and responses in this article.

important dates for the diary.

The 17th European Space Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28, through Wednesday, January 29.

Forum Europe 5G Conference, Tuesday, January 28, to Wednesday, January 29.

The European Commission is scheduled to release the “Competitiveness Compass” on Wednesday, January 29.

under the spotlight.

The Competitiveness Compass, which aims to outline the EU’s economic strategy until 2029, was postponed due to the illness of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It will be presented this week against a backdrop of slow economic growth and existential concerns about how to compete with the US and China.

The report will be set to the mood music of the previous Italian premier Mario Draghi’s report, which was delivered by the former European Central Bank President last September and raised concerns about the old continent’s economic future.

“Real disposable income has increased nearly twice as much in the US as in the EU on a per capita basis since 2000,” the report stated. At a moment when the EU needs a boost to its economy, expectations are high.

One EU official stated, “We need a real European doctrine to foster attractiveness and competitiveness… we have a problem of competitiveness/cost.”.

Increased innovation capabilities, improved economic security in Europe, and the growth of the bloc’s clean industry are the goals of the so-called Compass. Simplicity goals and the upcoming Clean Industrial Act, which is scheduled to be introduced in February, will probably be at the heart of the plan.

newsmakers covering policy.

US involvement in trade.

With trade proposals that could seriously harm the EU, the new US administration has alarmed people all over the world. Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commissioner for the Economy and Productivity, stated in Davos last week that increasing tariffs is not the appropriate way to address issues related to the economy or national security. Former EU trade chief the Latvian told a World Economic Forum panel that rather than enacting tariffs, US President Donald Trump would be better served by concentrating on addressing economic inequality in the US. In the meantime, Pascal Lamy, a former WTO chief and another former trade commissioner, told Euronews in an interview that the EU should approach trade talks with Trump “with a gun in its pocket.”.

A poll on policies.

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