Hungary will veto any European Union sanctions against Russia affecting nuclear energy, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told state radio on Friday, writes Reuters.

Ukraine has called on the 27-nation EU to include Russian state nuclear energy company Rosatom in sanctions but Hungary, which has a Russian-built nuclear plant it plans to expand with Rosatom, has blocked that. 

Orban reiterated in an interview that sanctions on nuclear energy "must obviously be vetoed".

“We will not allow the plan to include nuclear energy into the sanctions be implemented. This is out of the question”, - the Hungarian premier said.

EU-member Hungary has repeatedly criticised EU sanctions on Russia over its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, saying they failed to weaken Russia meaningfully, while they risk destroying the European economy.

The West has not imposed sanctions on Rosatom since Russia invaded Ukraine.