EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said that EU foreign ministers failed to agree on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

“Unfortunately today it has not been possible to reach an agreement to finalize the 6th sanction package the issue will go to the COREPER and ambassadors will continue discussing. We are with the same difficulties with unanimity on the oil ban”, - said Borrell.

In a previous statement today, Borrell indicated that “we will do our best in order to deblock the situation, I cannot ensure that this [sixth package of sanctions] is going to happen because the positions are quite strong”.

Hungary has been accused of “holding the EU hostage” over its refusal to agree an oil embargo against Russia, as the bloc struggles to reach consensus on its latest sanctions aimed at eroding the Kremlin’s ability to wage war, writes The Guardian.

Lithuania’s foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said: “Unfortunately the whole union is being held hostage by one member state.” He was referring to Hungary, which continues to block the oil embargo, despite being offered an extension on phasing out Russian crude until the end of 2024.

Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, said that his country would not block EU sanctions against Russia as long as they posed no risk to Hungary’s energy security.