Wait for Donald Trump before extending Russia sanctions: Orban to EU

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told European Union leaders that he wants to wait until the inauguration of his ally Donald Trump before deciding whether to extend the bloc’s sanctions against Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.

The EU has imposed 15 rounds of sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, which need to be extended every six months. The next extension is due by the end of January, 11 days after Trump is due to be sworn in.

Up to now, it’s been a routine decision, but extensions require the unanimous backing of the 27 member states, which could allow Orban to veto it. At the end of a day-long EU summit Thursday, Orban surprised his counterparts by saying he wasn’t ready to move forward with an extension, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity.