Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday that the European Union countries saw losses of €19 billion due to sanctions against Russia since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
"Hungary's interest is to have the sanctions lifted because we have lost €19 billion in three years due to them," Orban told in an interview with Kossuth Radio, adding that he constantly pushes for sanctions elimination in meetings with his colleagues from EU states.
Previously, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas confirmed that the block agreed to extend sanctions against Russia for six months in order to "deprive" Moscow of resources to finance the war in Ukraine. However, Orban warned that Hungary would veto the new extension if the EU fails to provide Budapest with energy security guarantees.