EU โฃWeighs Legal Maneuver to Extend โฃRussia Sanctions Funding, Secure Belgium’s Support
Brussels – The European Commission is exploring aโ novel legal interpretation of Article 122 of the Treaty onโฃ the Functioning of the European Union to โpotentially bypassโ Hungary’s potential veto and extend crucial sanctions funding related toโ Russia, according to diplomats briefedโ on ongoing discussions. Theโ move comes as a deadline looms to secureโค continued financial aid for Ukraine,โข with funds expectedโค toโค run dry in april.
The โcommission argues โคthe economic โconsequences of reversing current โขsanctions โขagainstโฃ Russia would be so severe as to justify shifting from the current unanimity โrequirement for renewing sanctions toโ a qualified majority vote. This would effectively neutralize Hungary’sโ ability to โขblock the roll-overโ of frozen Russian assets โฃearmarked to support Ukraine. One diplomat revealed the strategy is also aimed at “securing Belgium’s backing” for the โplan.
EUโ legal counsel reportedly agrees thatโค the โขbroad language within โArticle 122โข – which allows measures “appropriateโ to the economic situation” – can be leveraged to overhaul voting procedures. Beyond โsimply extending the sanctions, the Commission is also โขconsidering a proposal to lengthen theโ renewalโข timeframe from the current six monthsโค to three years, streamlining the processโ and reducing the frequency of โpotential veto โthreats.
failure to reach anโฃ agreement risksโค leaving Ukraineโ critically underfunded as it continues to defend againstโค Russian forces. โThe alternative, as outlined by โdiplomats, would โbe to place the financial burden of the war directly on EU taxpayers, while billions ofโค dollars in sanctioned Russian assets remain inaccessible. โขThe Commission’s proposal represents โคa high-stakes gamble โฃto maintain both pressure on โMoscow and continued supportโข for Kyiv.
