Brussels, 14 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Hungary has used its veto to force the lifting of EU sanctions on several Russians, several diplomats confirmed to dpa on Friday.

One of the Russians involved is oligarch Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor, a major shareholder in one of Russia's largest fertilizer manufacturers who has close ties to President Vladimir Putin.

In addition, a sister of the well-known Russian entrepreneur Alisher Usmanov and two other people are included.

According to diplomats, Hungary's used the imminent Saturday deadline to extend the EU's sanctions on Russia as leverage.

The EU sanctions affect a total of around 2,200 people and organizations. A decision to extend the sanctions requires a unanimous resolution by all 27 EU member states, every six months.

Hungary threatened to block this unless several Russians were removed from the list.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has already stated on several occasions that he does not consider the EU's Russia sanctions to be effective, although it is not clear why he decided to put his foot down on this occasion or for these individuals.

EU sanctions have generally included travel restrictions, the freezing of assets and a ban on the provision of funds or other economic resources by third parties.

In most cases, the sanctions were imposed in response to what the EU sees as Russia's unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine.

There had been weeks of discussion about Hungary's demands because a number of member states initially refused to accept them. They argued that the lifting of sanctions could provide other Russians with arguments for legal action against the EU's punitive measures.

The sanctions decision regarding Kantor stated that his close ties to Putin had helped him to secure his considerable fortune. He had expressed his support and friendship for Putin on numerous occasions and maintained good relations with the Kremlin.

As a result, he had benefited from Russian decision-makers who were responsible for Russia's illegal annexation of the Crimea peninsula.

MIA file photo