The decision on an extension came at the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday.
This will continue to deprive (Russian President Vladimir) Putin of income to finance his war, explains EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas at the press conference afterwards.
The agreement came after Hungary hesitated until the last minute and demanded measures due to Ukraine no longer wanting to allow deliveries of Russian gas and oil through the country.
Means nothing?
The solution is a joint EU statement promising continued discussions between the EU Commission and Ukraine on deliveries to Europe, "in accordance with Ukraine's international commitments".
Whether the fairly sweeping words in the EU statement will have any real consequences is unclear. Maybe it should primarily be seen as a way to get Hungary to withdraw its opposition without losing face.
But it meant something for Hungary anyway, says Kallas with a crooked smile at the press conference.
Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó says he is still satisfied.
"Hungary has received the guarantees it wanted regarding our country's energy security. The EU Commission has committed to protecting gas and oil pipelines leading to EU member states", he states on X.
"Keeping the pressure high"
Sweden's Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) had been "disappointed" that Hungary had not acted more constructively in the negotiations, but still counted on an agreement beforehand.
It is absolutely necessary for us to be able to continue keeping the pressure high on Russia and damaging their war economy, she said on her way into Monday's meeting in Brussels.
The EU countries' many different sanctions against Russia due to the war in Ukraine are mostly extended for half a year at a time.
On Monday, they agreed on an extension of the economic sanctions that concern everything from trade with weapons and various forms of raw materials to freezing the Russian central bank's assets in Europe.
Other sanctions, for example, concern which individuals should not be granted entry visas to the EU because they are deemed to contribute to "undermining or threatening Ukraine's territorial security". Those sanctions must be extended again before March 15.
