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.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, following Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has declared that Budapest will block the next extension of EU sanctions against Russia unless Ukraine "refrains from measures that harm Hungary’s energy security".

Hungary wants the European Union to intervene in a gas dispute it has with Ukraine, a potential sign of friction in the bloc’s upcoming discussions over renewing sanctions against Russia.

Hungary has not yet decided whether to support the sanctions rollover due at the end of this month. The EU renews sanctions every six months and requires unanimity among its 27 member countries to do so.

The European Commission will continue talks with Ukraine on natural gas supplies to Europe and will include Hungary and Slovakia in these talks, according to a statement shared by an EU diplomat and seen by Reuters on Monday.

The European Union has agreed to prolong for 6 months a raft of sanctions aimed at depriving Russia of funds to finance its war against Ukraine