Szijjártó explained Hungary's support for the EU's 15th package of anti-Russian sanctions

Hungary supported the 15th package of the European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia because an exception was made for the Hungarian energy company MOL to export oil products from Russian raw materials. This was stated by Hungarian Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Minister Peter Szijjártó to journalists on December 16 following a meeting of the Council of EU foreign ministers.

"Today the 15th package of sanctions against Russia was officially adopted. For Hungary, it means a relaxation, because there appears the extension of the legal possibility for MOL to export oil products produced from oil of Russian origin," said Szijjártó, the speech was broadcast on his page in the social network Facebook (part of Meta, recognized as an extremist organization and banned in Russia).

The minister pointed out that the exception for the company's actions was very important for Hungary. In addition, it was possible to remove all the most "crazy" ideas from the sanctions package, so Budapest decided not to veto the document.

Szijjártó said that Hungary, in particular, was able to remove from the list of restrictions Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, Russian permanent representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzia, two soccer clubs from the Russian Premier League (RPL) and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

Courts and trials: what is known about the 15th package of sanctions against Russia

The EU Council adopted a new list of anti-Russian restrictions on December 16

Earlier in the day it became known that the EU foreign ministers finally approved the 15th package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia. Restrictions affected 54 individuals and 30 organizations. The list of restrictions also included 52 ships, which were banned from entering ports and providing various services related to maritime transport.

The director of Russian singer Larisa Dolina, whose name is in the 15th package of sanctions, pointed out that the restrictions were actually imposed against all Russians who stayed in their native country and worked in its interests.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 7 that the volume of Western anti-Russian sanctions is unparalleled in history, but they have not dealt Russia "a crushing blow from which it will not be able to recover." The head of state emphasized that Russia is actually needed by the world and the restrictions will not affect this fact.

Western countries have tightened sanctions pressure on Russia in connection with the special operation to protect Donbass. The decision to launch it was announced on February 24, 2022 after the aggravation of the situation in the region due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.