{"id":93507,"date":"2024-07-01T15:11:53","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T12:11:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/93507\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"hungarys-eu-council-presidency-unlikely-to-benefit-belarus-russia-pundit","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/93507\/","title":{"rendered":"Hungary’s EU Council presidency unlikely to benefit Belarus, Russia \u2013 pundit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n Budapest\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (Keszthelyi Timi \/ unsplash.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

July 1, Pozirk. <\/em><\/strong>The six-month-long Hungarian presidency in the Council of the European Union, which has started today, is unlikely to have a significant impact on the EU policy towards Belarus and Russia, political analyst Alexander Friedman has told Pozirk<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EU adopted its new package of sanctions against Minsk before Budapest assumed the presidency, with Germany and France and not Hungary successfully lobbying for their mitigation, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budapest will not promote further sanctions against Belarus and Russia yet it is unlikely to relax restrictions or engage in direct lobbying of Minsk’s and Moscow’s interests, the expert said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hungary is the only EU member to maintain official contacts with the Belarusian government, accused of human rights abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budapest joined the EU sanctions against Minsk, but Hungarian officials have repeatedly stated their opposition to that policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last September, Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka accepted credentials from Hungary\u2019s Zita Bencsik, the only EU ambassador to present credentials to the Belarusian ruler after 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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