European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc is unlikely to reach agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia at Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, as continued Hungarian opposition keeps consensus out of reach.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the meeting, Kallas said the bloc would continue efforts to advance the proposal by engaging with member states, but added that she did not expect any breakthrough during the talks.
Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, criticised Budapest more directly, accusing Hungary of showing a “shocking” lack of solidarity with Ukraine. He also suggested the Hungarian government was fuelling hostility towards Kyiv for domestic political gain.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he was surprised by Hungary’s position and urged Budapest to reconsider its stance.
He argued that Hungary should remain aligned with European values, noting the country’s own history of struggles for freedom.
“We should be ready for talks but it is ultimately up to Russia to show that it is willing to make substantive concessions to Ukraine,” he said.
He also stressed that Europe must maintain pressure on Moscow through sustained sanctions and continued political and military support for Kyiv.
The proposed 20th EU sanctions package targeting Russia is expected to remain stalled because EU foreign policy decisions require unanimity, allowing any member state to exercise a veto.
Hungary has also said it will block a €90 billion financial assistance plan for Ukraine until oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline are restored.
The pipeline, which carries Russian crude through Ukraine to Central Europe, has been out of operation since late January.
Kyiv says the disruption followed Russian drone strikes on energy infrastructure, while Hungarian and Slovak authorities argue that Ukraine has failed to repair the damaged system.
The dispute has further complicated EU unity as the bloc approaches the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
EU foreign ministers were also due to meet Nikolay Mladenov, director of the Trump-backed Board of Peace initiative for Gaza, in Brussels to discuss the future of Gaza’s reconstruction and stabilisation. The talks form part of broader discussions covering the war in Ukraine and potential new sanctions against Russia.
The EU continues to support the United Nations’ role in Gaza, although some governments remain cautious about engaging formally with the new structure.
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A British national was among at least 19 people killed when a passenger bus plunged off a mountain highway into the Trishuli river in Nepal before dawn on Monday (23 February), authorities said. A New Zealander and a Chinese national were among those injured.
Against a backdrop of mounting environmental pressure across Central Asia, the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has announced that the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026 will take place from 22–24 April in Astana.
Iran has signed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia to rebuild air defences, weakened during last year’s war with Israel, the Financial Times has reported. The agreement, signed in December in Moscow, will see Russia deliver 500 Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years.
The European Parliament’s trade chief has urged a temporary suspension of the EU–U.S. trade agreement approval, citing “tariff chaos” following President Donald Trump’s new 15% tariffs and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidating his previous global tariff programme.
A seven-month-old Japanese macaque has drawn international attention after forming an unusual bond with a stuffed orangutan toy after being rejected by its mother.
Divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver after their minibus broke through the ice of on Lake Baikal in Russia, authorities said.
President Donald Trump said on Saturday (21 February) that he will raise temporary tariffs on nearly all U.S. imports from 10% to 15%, the maximum allowed under the law, after the Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff program.
Pakistan said it carried out cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan after blaming a series of recent suicide bombings, including attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, on fighters it said were operating from Afghan territory.
Iran announced on Saturday (21 February) that it has designated the naval and air forces of European Union member states as “terrorist entities” in a reciprocal move after the EU blacklisted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
A British national was among at least 19 people killed when a passenger bus plunged off a mountain highway into the Trishuli river in Nepal before dawn on Monday (23 February), authorities said. A New Zealander and a Chinese national were among those injured.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
China says it's making a "full assessment" of the U.S. Supreme Court's tariff ruling and urged Washington to lift "relevant unilateral tariff measures" on its trading partners, the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement on Monday (23 February).
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A “Victory will be ours” banner was hung on the Russian Embassy in Seoul, ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It remains on display despite a request from the South Korean Foreign Ministry on Sunday (22 February) for its removal, sparking widespread criticism.
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