BERLIN. Jan 23 (Interfax) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called on the European Union to secure low prices on energy for people living in Europe and criticized Brussels for pressing Budapest to stop buying Russian oil and gas.
"European people are sick of Brussels' lies and deceit. They want affordable energy prices and economic prosperity," Orban said on X.
He described the EU's pressure on Budapest to stop importing Russian oil and gas as hypocritical.
"They demand that we sever ourselves from Russian gas, meanwhile, more Russian LNG is coming to Western Europe than ever before. They also want to get rid of Russian oil, unless of course they can buy it via some Asian detour," Orban said.
Commenting on the EU's proposals of new sanctions against Russia, Orban said European officials' fantasies have gone as far as to extend sanctions on football teams.
Bloomberg reported on Wednesday citing its sources that the EU might find it impossible to renew sanctions on Russia because of Orban's intention to block such a move.
Last December, Orban told EU leaders that Hungary might veto an extension of the sanctions, which are set to expire on January 31. He said he was expecting Donald Trump to be sworn in as U.S. president, and if the latter eventually decided to ease the sanctions, Orban vowed to insist on the EU's identical step.
EU ambassadors are set to meet several times in the coming days to discuss renewing the Russia sanctions, which requires the unanimous support from all the 27 member states. If the diplomats fail to agree on an extension this week, the issue would be referred to the EU foreign ministers due to meet in Brussels on January 27.
Last week, Orban also urged the EU to phase out Russia sanctions and normalize relations with it.
Trump was sworn in as U.S. president on January 20. He had said previously that he might decide to ease sanctions against Russia. However, he warned on Tuesday that the U.S. might actually tighten sanctions if Russia refused to negotiate on Ukraine.
The EU has instituted 15 sanctions packages against Moscow, which need to be renewed every six months. The next extension is to take place at the end of January, i.e. 11 days after Trump's inauguration ceremony.