"We must use all the political muscle we have to increase the pressure on Hungary and Slovakia," says Malmer Stenergard upon arrival at the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.
She describes the "obstruction" as being just as bad every time it happens.
It is frustrating and embarrassing for these countries.
Shortly before that, EU Foreign Affairs Chief Kaja Kallas made the grim announcement that she did not believe in progress regarding the 20th sanctions package against Russia during the day.
Broken oil pipe
Kallas, Malmer Stenergard and several of their colleagues are wearing a button in Ukraine's yellow-blue colors. The hope was that they would give the sanctions the green light at the meeting, in order to have the package ready by February 24, the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Now it's going to be a tough meeting.
On Sunday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced that he intends to block the sanctions decision, primarily citing anger over a broken Russian oil pipeline in Ukraine.
"Until Ukraine resumes oil transportation to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, we will not release decisions that are important for Kyiv," he wrote on X.
The 4,000-kilometer-long Druzhba pipeline runs from Russia via Ukraine to Russia-friendly Slovakia and Hungary - the only EU countries exempt from the bloc's ban on Russian oil imports. But the pipeline is now shut down, with Kyiv saying it was damaged by a Russian attack on January 27.
The halt has angered both Hungary and Slovakia, whose governments claim that Ukraine is deliberately delaying repairs and engaging in "political blackmail," writes Politico.
Unclear about billion-dollar loan
A determined Kaja Kallas dismisses the reasons for Hungary's and Slovakia's resistance as "something that has nothing to do with the 20th sanctions package."
But last week, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also warned that he could stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if the line is not opened.
And on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán went a step further. He threatened to veto the EU's €90 billion loan to Ukraine. The heads of state and government decided on the giant loan in December, but Orbán can still stop it as a legal text on the loan must be formally approved by a unanimous council.
"We have agreed on a loan of 90 billion after an incredible amount of hard work. Now they will be paid out. Then we should not make any fuss or let national elections come in the way," says an irritated Malmer Stenergard.
Orbán's threat comes despite the fact that Hungary, along with Slovakia and the Czech Republic, has been granted an exemption in the loan model, which means that they are not burdened by the Ukraine loan.
Tina Magnergård Bjers/TT
Facts: EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia
TT
In addition to a total ban on all shipping services related to Russian crude oil (including shipping and insurance), Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal for the 20th sanctions package also includes the blacklisting of an additional 43 vessels from the Russian shadow fleet (making a total of 640 listed).
Maintenance of Russian so-called LNG ships, which are used to export gas, is prohibited.
Furthermore, 20 regional Russian banks are being sanctioned and measures are being taken to prevent certain trading in cryptocurrencies.
An import ban on Russian metals, minerals and rare earth metals is being introduced. And EU countries are prohibited from exporting, among other things, rubber, tractors and cybersecurity services to Russia.
Source: European Commission
