Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock got into a heated exchange at a closed-door meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, Politico reports, citing sources requesting anonymity.
The ministers were in talks about Hungary's refusal to approve the next sanctions and aid package for Ukraine until the Hungarian OTP bank is removed from Ukraine's list of "war sponsors".
According to unnamed sources, at Monday's meeting Szijjártó repeated this stance, after which Baerbock asked why some reports – it is not known which – claim that OTP recognises the breakaway territories of Luhansk and Donetsk and is providing loans to Russian soldiers.
The Hungarian Foreign Minister denied that this was the case, pointing out that the bank's management had repeatedly indicated that they supported Ukraine. A diplomat who was present said that the exchange was civilised and that it was within the limits of the conversation. Earlier in the meeting, Estonia and Sweden had also asked Szijjártó not to obstruct the unified European action.
Several countries have expressed resentment against Hungary for the government's repeated obstruction and delay of decisions targeting Russia and supporting Ukraine. One participant said that they did not understand why the Hungarian government was harping on the OTP case when the Ukrainian list (of "war sponsors") had no legal implications.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that if a member state has a problem, it should be discussed.
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