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World / Americas

Hungary's Orban says no automatic extension of sanctions against Russia

Published: 29 Feb 2016 - 12:12 pm | Last Updated: 01 Nov 2021 - 10:02 am
Peninsula

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during his state-of-the-nation speech in Budapest, Hungary, February 28, 2016. The banner reads "Hungary reforms works". Reuters/Laszlo Balogh

 

BUDAPEST: The European Union is expected to hold discussions about whether Russia has fulfilled the Minsk agreement on Ukraine and there will not be an automatic extension of sanctions against Moscow, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Monday.

"At the end of the first half of the year a serious debate can be expected within the EU about the fulfillment of the Minsk agreement," Orban told Hungarian ambassadors.

"In other words, there won't be an automatic extension of sanctions against Russia, and whatever decision we will make, that should be preceded by a calm and objective analysis about
the Minsk agreement," he added.

Orban's government has granted a deal to Russia's Rosatom to build new reactors at Hungary's nuclear power plant, and has promoted what it calls a "pragmatic" good relationship with Russia. Orban visited Moscow earlier this month.

Reuters