Orbán wishes to decide on EU sanctions against Russia after Trump’s inauguration

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has informed EU leaders that he intends to wait for the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20 before making a decision on the extension of EU sanctions against Russia, Bloomberg reports, citing its sources.

The publication notes that the EU has implemented 15 packages of sanctions against Russia, which need to be renewed every six months. The next renewal is expected at the end of January, just 11 days after Trump takes office. A unanimous decision from all 27 EU member states is necessary to extend the restrictions.

At the end of the EU summit on Thursday, the Hungarian prime minister “surprised his colleagues” by stating that he is not ready to extend the sanctions, according to agency sources.

Earlier, Orbán told Mandiner magazine that Hungary is placing its hopes on Trump, who has promised to address the Ukrainian issue after taking office.