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Hungary drops veto and agrees to prolong EU sanctions on Russian individuals

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Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly criticised EU sanctions against Russia. © Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.
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Hungary has agreed to drop its veto and allow the renewal of the sanctions that the European Union has imposed on more than 2,400 individuals and entities, mainly from Russia, in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The resolution happened on Friday, less than 48 hours before the measures were set to expire, a risky deadlock that had put the bloc in a situation of extraordinary suspense.

Sanctions have to be renewed every six months by unanimity, meaning one member state can single-handedly derail the entire process.

Hungary’s veto was confirmed several times this week in meetings between ambassadors, with unsuccessful attempts on Monday, Wednesday and, most recently, Thursday afternoon. Each failure sent the clock ticking on.

Budapest demanded several names be removed from the blacklist, several diplomats told Euronews. The names were not made public, but Radio Free Europe previously reported the identity of seven oligarchs, including Mikhail Fridman and Dmitry Mazepin, and Russia’s sports minister as part of the request.

Following intense discussions behind the scenes, a compromise was eventually reached to release four names rather than the eight Hungary wanted. Additionally, three individuals who are dead were excluded.

As a result, the prolongation for another six months was approved on Friday morning. The sanctions were set to expire by midnight on Saturday.

The saga marks the second time in three months that Viktor Orbán’s government has put Brussels on edge by threatening to undo the sanctions regime that the bloc has painstakingly built since February 2022.

In January, it took exception to sectoral sections, which cover sweeping bans on oil, coal, technology, finance, luxury goods, transport and broadcasting, and the freezing of €210 billion in assets from Russia’s Central Bank.

Budapest relented after obtaining a non-binding statement on energy security.

This time, it set its sights on the blacklist that includes hundreds of military commanders, government officials, oligarchs, propagandists and Wagner Group mercenaries, all of whom are subject to an asset freeze and a travel ban.

President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, are designated.

The blacklist also targets hundreds of Russian companies in the military, banking, transport, energy, diamond, aviation, IT, telecoms and media sectors.

Hungary argues that Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president and his efforts to strike a peace deal merit a rethink of EU support for Ukraine and EU sanctions on Russia.

The stance is not shared by other member states, who believe pressure on Moscow should continue for the duration of the war. They also want to pursue a “peace through strength” strategy to reinforce Ukraine’s standing in the negotiations and establish the country’s armed forces as an effective, long-lasting security guarantee.

Orbán disagrees with the “peace through strength” mantra and last week prevented the adoption of joint conclusions on Ukraine at the end of a special EU summit, forcing his fellow leaders to release an attached “extract” signed off by 26.

“Hungary has a different strategic approach on Ukraine,” said António Costa, the president of the European Council. “That means that Hungary is isolated among the 27. We respect Hungary’s position, but it’s one out of 27. And 26 are more than one.”

Leaving the summit, Orbán replied: “The European Union has isolated itself from the US, isolated itself from China because of the trade war, and isolated itself from Russia because of the sanction policy. So if someone is isolated here, it’s the European Union.”

The stark political divergence played out during the talks among ambassadors, with Hungary managing to block the roll-over on at least three separate occasions this week.

The veto happened the same week that US and Ukrainian officials announced significant progress in their negotiations, easing tensions between both sides.

Ukraine said it was ready to implement an interim 30-day ceasefire provided Russia reciprocated, while the US agreed to immediately lift the suspension on military assistance and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, which caused consternation in Brussels.

“Ball is in Russia’s court,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

In response, Vladimir Putin said he was in favour of the proposal but asked for certain “nuances” to be clarified before committing himself. Putin heavily implied that Ukraine should stop receiving Western weaponry for the duration of the ceasefire.

The European Commission has confirmed that it is already working on a 17th package of sanctions against Russia.

Politics

VIDEO: Fubara is already down, more to come for him — Wike boasts

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The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is already losing political ground in the state.

Wike, speaking at a grand reception held in his honour by the Kalabari people in Abalama, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, criticised the governor’s choice of allies, saying that Fubara is surrounded by individuals who had previously harboured governorship ambitions.

According to him, he refused to approve Fubara’s alliance with those individuals because he knew they had no good intentions for the people of Rivers State.

The minister declared that Governor Fubara was already down politically and boasted that more setbacks were awaiting him.

He said, “You (Fubara) surround yourself with people who wanted to be governor, to whom I said ‘no, these people don’t mean well for Rivers State.’ They are the ones surrounding you, giving you advice.

“Do you think you will succeed? They will give you bad advice and look at what bad advice is doing to you. You are already down 2-0, and there’s more to come. I have never seen this type of politics where you surround yourself with those who want your seat.”

This comes a few days after Wike said nothing catastrophic would occur if the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule, proceeds with the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike stated that there was nothing unusual about a state legislature removing a sitting governor over alleged impeachable offences, including claims that Fubara withheld lawmakers’ salaries for several months.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart said, “If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?

“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.

“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order. ’ Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”

Wike also dismissed suggestions that the Assembly was acting in bad faith, noting that if the lawmakers were not interested in peace, they would have embarked on a six-month recess after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the state’s political crisis.

See the video below:

watch video here www.ekwutosblog.com?s=46

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“I’m not a fraudster”, Hope UZODINMA media aide Ambrose Nwaogwugwu affirms

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Ambrose Nwaogwugwu
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Governor Hope UZODINMA Senior Special Assistant on creative media have narrated part of his history and travails in politics and media, in his Facebook page he stated “I joined Facebook in 2010, started following current affairs in 2011, and began writing about politics in 2012. Since then, I have remained consistent to this day.

I was awarded “The Most Vibrant and Social Media Informer of the Year” by Imo Social Media Searchlight Concept, an event organized by Mc Tboy Samuel and his boss, MC Banana Mouth….the first in Imo state social media community.

Same year, April 2014, I received my first political appointment as a media consultant to the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu (may God continue to rest his beautiful soul).

This marks 15 years on Facebook and 13 years of political engagement here. And in all these years, not a single person can claim that Ambrose Nwaogwugwu has defrauded them of even 1 kobo.

When you mention my name, people may call me all sorts of things—praise singer, sycophant, data boy, or even Uzodimma’s slave—and I wear these names as a badge of honor. However, no one can associate my name with any form of scam or fraud.

Were it not for politics, my name would have remained completely unblemished. But in life, one must be known for something. Nevertheless, if my name is mentioned in my absence, it will never be linked to fraud or dishonesty.

You are defined by how people speak of you in your absence, not by what they say when you are present.

I urge young people to be cautious in their dealings and avoid anything that could tarnish their reputation. There are individuals whose names, when mentioned, immediately bring to mind multiple accusations of fraud and scam—and when several people say the same thing, they can’t all be wrong.

Young people must do better.

I was raised with the fear of God, and I have always refrained from anything that could bring dishonor to my name. While growing up, my mother constantly reminded us that our name is NWAOGWUGWU, a prestigious name that must never be stained….that out name is not good in mkporo ghieghie (whilstling). She emphasized that stealing, fraud, and deception are not in our lineage—a principle I uphold to this day.

Apart from politics, no human born of a woman can accuse me of any wrongdoing.

Young people must strive for a better way of life.

Yes, times are tough, but there is dignity in honest labor. Defrauding and scamming others is not labor—it makes you nothing but a thief.” he  said

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesome Wike, has said that he has no plan to stop members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from performing the constitutional duties.

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesome Wike, has said that he has no plan to stop members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from performing the constitutional duties.

Part of the legislative functions of the Assembly is to impeach the governor if he is found wanting for going against stipulations of the law.

The lawmakers, about 27 of them, have been at loggerheads with Governor Siminalayi Fubara as they try to maintain their loyalty to the FCT minister.

The lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule recently obtained victory at the Supreme Court, which ordered that they should resume their legislative duties.

The governor was also ordered to re-present the 2025 budget to the full House of the Assembly and reconduct the local council elections.

There are speculations about the majority lawmakers plotting the governor’s impeachment.

“I’m not going to stop the Assembly from performing their constitutional duties. People who love peace don’t threaten people,” Wike told a large number of Kalabari people on Saturday.

“Assembly must do their work, whatever they deem necessary and fit, that it is constitutional, they should do.”

He continued, “Let them tell me what initiative they have put on the ground. It is not to abuse us. You can abuse me as much as you want; I never bother myself. abuse Dey kill anybody?

“You don seen who abuse don kill? What is important is the result. Na who get high blood pressure now; no be them?”

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