Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Friday to block the next rollover of EU sanctions against Russia unless Brussels helps achieve a restart of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, which was halted on Jan.

Hungary wants the European Union to intervene in a gas dispute it has with Ukraine, a potential sign of friction in the bloc’s upcoming discussions over renewing sanctions against Russia.

The European Union does not have the financial means to admit Ukraine into the EU, Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated during a joint press conference with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Mr. Orban later shared a segment of this press briefing on his social media.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Friday to block the next rollover of EU sanctions against Russia unless Brussels helps achieve a restart of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, which was halted on Jan.

The European Union (EU) has been placing sanctions on Russia since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. These sanctions are meant to pressure Russia into stopping its attacks. However, the EU can only continue these sanctions if every country in the group agrees.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, following Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has declared that Budapest will block the next extension of EU sanctions against Russia unless Ukraine "refrains from measures that harm Hungary’s energy security".