Hungary had taken issue with the inclusion of three Russian oligarchs on the latest sanctions list, prompting Estonia to issue its own domestic sanction on the same individuals.

The minister said: "Hungary is systematically working against the common security interests of Europe, and therefore, we must quickly take specific steps and move forward with the Article 7 procedure, that is, suspending Hungary's voting rights."

Article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union allows for a suspension of certain rights, including voting rights at the European Council, if there is a serious and persistent breach by a member state of the values that are the foundation of the EU and referred to in Article 2 of the same treaty. Nevertheless, that country's membership obligations remain binding.

Tsahkna made his remarks on Friday while the EU opted to extend sanctions against around 2400 individuals and entities who undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. However, the minister noted: "For political reasons, Hungary made the extension of sanctions conditional on the removal of Russian businessmen Viatcheslav Kantor, Mikhail Degtyarev, and Gulbakhor Ismailova from the sanctions list."

These three oligarchs have directly contributed to Russia's aggression and are close to Russian leader Vladimir Putin; despite this, they were removed from the sanctions list following Hungary's stance.

In relation to the sanctions, Tsahkna emphasized: "The extension calls for a unanimous decision by member states," adding that, unfortunately, there has been no agreement today, thanks to Hungary.

Tsahkna said Estonia supports extending sanctions on Russia, underscoring there are no grounds for easing them given Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

Since March 2014, the EU has imposed sanctions on around 2400 individuals, including Putin, Duma members, and oligarchs, for actions undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and independence.

Estonia itself, as a preventive measure, yesterday imposed a national financial sanction, which freezes and makes unavailable the funds and economic resources of individuals, entities, or authorities which support or contribute to the activities of the Russian Federation. Additionally, Estonia has also as a domestic move banned Kantor, Degtyarev, and Ismailova from entering the country.

"I opted to impose the national sanction on Kantor, Degtyarev, and Ismailova in response to their exclusion from the EU sanctions list," Tsahkna went on.

Tsahkna emphasized that the measure allows domestic sanctions on individuals and entities supporting Russia's actions that threaten Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and stability.

EU treaty Article 2 values, whose breach can lead to an Article 7 suspension, include those of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities.

EU sanctions are in force for six months, which means that sanctions need to be reviewed and extended, again every six months. The next renewal, including the freeze on €200 billion of Russian Central Bank assets, is due by July.

Hungary under Viktor Orban has consistently taken a much more pro-Russian stance than the bulk of the rest of Europe, even following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine from 2022. Orban has unilaterally met with Putin in defiance of the EU, most recently in July last year.

In 2023, Hungary was the fourth highest net beneficiary of EU money, taking in €4.4billion, compared with Estonia's €839 million in the same year.

An added dimension to Orban's continued stonewalling relates to claims made against Ukrainian authorities that they suppress the Hungarian-speaking minority living in the westernmost part of Ukraine and adjacent to the border the two countries share.

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