Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long been a headache for European leaders who try to take a hard line on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Orban, a long-time Putin ally,

Hungary's biggest bank, OTP Bank, boosted its business with Russia last year, helping to bolster its profits, as rival European lenders came under increasing pressure to pare back their ties with Moscow due to its war in Ukraine.

Hungary wants to remove eight individuals from the European Union's Russia sanctions list and receive fresh guarantees on Ukraine gas transit talks before agreeing to renew the restrictions, EU diplomats said.

Budapest voices concerns over an alleged second drone attack by Ukraine on key TurkStream gas pipeline pumping facility in Russia

The military deadlock, fatigue of public opinion and fear of escalation are all working in Moscow's favor, to the detriment of Europe, at a time when the latter is being abandoned by its American ally.

Hungary has threatened to block the latest package of sanctions against Russia unless it receives guarantees on the resumption of gas supplies through Ukraine.