The European Union Commission on Monday said it would continue talks with Ukraine on natural gas supplies to Europe and would include Hungary and Slovakia in the talks.
This was contained in a statement by an EU diplomat on Monday.
The statement was read out to EU ambassadors on Monday morning ahead of a meeting of foreign affairs ministers who would discuss the rollover of Russia sanctions, which must be renewed every six months.
Arogidigba Global Journal gathered that Hungary has been holding up the renewal of the bloc’s sanctions on Russia, the renewal of which must be through a unanimous vote. The deadline is 31 January.
As of Friday, Hungary had not yet decided whether to go ahead with the rollover.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said last week sanctions were hurting Hungary’s economy, adding that gas supplies via Ukraine should resume for the bloc’s energy security.
“The Commission is ready to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine.
“The Commission is ready to associate Hungary in the process along with Slovakia,” the statement said.
Arogidigba Global Journal reports that Russian gas supplies through Ukraine stopped on 1 January after a transit contract expired.
Slovakia and Hungary have been pushing the EU to step in to resume flows through a major pipeline.