The European Union requires a unanimous vote to extend sanctions on Russia, a situation Hungary's Viktor Orban wants to use to pressure the bloc into forcing Ukraine to reopen a transit pipeline for Russian gas.

The European Union is unlikely to propose phasing out Russian liquefied natural gas as part of a new package of sanctions targeting Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter.

Hungary's representatives have not yet agreed to a decision on the extension of EU sanctions against Russia. The issue will be considered at an EU Council meeting at foreign minister level on Monday,

Russia is posing an existential threat to the European Union's security and to only way to address that is to increase spending on defence, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday, adding that the EU had for too long offered Russia alternatives.

The fate of the European Union’s sanctions against Russia were thrown into limbo after a top Hungarian official called for a “debate” and signaled their renewal by the end of the month shouldn’t be automatic.

Hungary is imposing conditions on Ukraine in return for agreeing to the extension of the EU's economic sanctions on Russia, which expire at the end of the month. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on state radio that Kiev should reopen the pipeline that was closed at the beginning of the year and had previously transported Russian natural gas to Central Europe,

EU foreign ministers will consider the extension of sanctions against Russia. Hungary may block the decision if its demand is not met, states Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on his Facebook page.

Hungary prolonged its blockage of the renewal of sanctions against Russia as Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the European Union to pressure Ukraine to re-establish the transit of Russian gas to Europe.