Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has once again threatened to veto EU sanctions against Russia in six months if Ukraine does not resume the transit of Russian gas by then, which he claims he was guaranteed to be restored.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Friday to block the next rollover of EU sanctions against Russia unless Brussels helps achieve a restart of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, which was halted on Jan.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected the bloc to renew its sanctions on Russia on Monday after Hungary signalled it would stop holding up the move in return for assurances about energy security.

Russia would like to see a resumption in the transit of gas via Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, after the European Commission issued a statement saying it planned to continue talks with Kyiv on natural gas supplies to Europe.

Before reupping the sanctions, Budapest wanted to wait for Trump's inauguration, then insisted Brussels push Ukraine to reopen a gas pipeline running to Central Europe.

Hungary, one of Russia’s main friends in the EU, had left its EU counterparts fuming over a refusal so far to approve the move.

BRUSSELS – Hungary removed its veto on the EU's six-month extension of Russia sanctions on Monday, but it may not be its last standoff. The deal was struck after the EU agreed to issue a joint, non-binding statement by top diplomat Kaja Kallas and the European Commission to support Hungary's energy security at Monday's meeting of foreign ministers.