EU leaders and the European Commission should evaluate the impact of sanctions against Russia on individual countries of the bloc, especially in the context of the energy crisis, says Balazs Orban, chief adviser to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. It is reported by Euractiv.

“Sanctions are rational if they harm Russia more than Europe, but this should not be automatic. EU leaders should sit down at the negotiating table, the European Commission should analyze the consequences of the sanctions,” said Balazs Orban.

Last week, the EU countries agreed on a compromise ninth package of sanctions against Russia, which has already been called the weakest of all rounds of restrictions against Russia..

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had previously called on the EU to lift all sanctions against Russia, with officials citing Hungary's reliance on Russian energy to support closer ties with Moscow..

The results of controversial national consultations in Hungary, in which the Hungarian government asked citizens if they agree with the government's opposition to EU anti-Russian sanctions, are expected in January, an Orban aide confirmed..

“Before agreeing on the 10th or 11th package, we must sit down and seriously discuss the consequences of the sanctions,” Balazs Orban said, adding that this should be done before the next EU summit..

European leaders are expected to meet again in early February for an extraordinary EU summit in Brussels to discuss migration issues..

"

Last week, Hungary also blocked the inclusion of three Russian officials on the EU sanctions list, including the Russian energy minister..

Asked about the rationale for such a move, Orban's chief adviser said it would simply be "

“We are negotiating with him on Hungarian energy, as we can put him on the list of sanctions? "

Russia's war against Ukraine has led the Polish and Hungarian governments, once close allies, to go their separate ways.. Warsaw has been one of Kyiv's strongest allies and defenders, often criticizing Budapest's desire to maintain relations with Moscow and its opposition to some EU sanctions..

“After the start of the war, there was a period of cooling, but we are making a lot of efforts to resume cooperation,” said Balazs Orban, answering a question about the disappointment of Poland.

The Visegrad Four prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary met last month to highlight common ties amid tensions after fault lines appeared in the regional bloc over Hungary's approach to Russia's war against Ukraine.. Visegrad Four goal to represent Central Europe has not changed, Orban's chief adviser says.

[see_also ids\u003d"

Hungarian openly pro-Russian gestures raise the question: why the EU does not eventually kick out the Kremlin's \? Unfortunately, it is impossible to exclude a country from the EU. But the EU has other tools too.. Read about how Brussels can influence Budapest in Dmitry Shulga's article "