Hungary seeks removal of eight people from EU sanctions on Russia

By Julia Payne

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Hungary wants to remove eight individuals from the European Union's Russia sanctions list and receive fresh guarantees on Ukraine gas transit talks before agreeing to renew the restrictions, EU diplomats said.

EU sanctions on Russia - imposed over Moscow's war against Ukraine - must be renewed every six months by a unanimous vote and Budapest has often used these renewals as bargaining opportunities.

On Monday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote on Facebook that Budapest would "not consent to rushing ahead" with the sanctions extension on individuals.

The Russia sanctions consist of two frameworks, which come up for renewal at different times. One covers economic measures and the other is a list of over 2,400 individuals and entities that are subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

The diplomats declined to share the names of the individuals that Hungary wants to remove, due to the confidential nature of the discussions.

Hungary's permanent representation to the EU had no comment.

In January, Budapest, which has maintained close ties with Moscow through the war, held up the renewal of the economic sanctions that include the immobilisation of Moscow's central bank assets. An agreement was reached after the European Commission agreed to include Hungary in talks about resuming gas transit to the EU through Ukraine.

Russian gas flows via Ukraine were halted on January 1 when Ukraine's transit contract with Russia's state gas firm Gazprom expired.

Szijjarto told reporters on Monday that the Commission had not implemented its earlier commitment after Budapest was not included in a meeting with Slovakia and Ukraine.

The Commission said it planned to include Hungary in the discussions.

"This meeting had been planned in this format. The Commission remains ready to associate Hungary to discuss the alternative supply sources and routes to Europe," a Commission spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Julia Payne; Additional reporting by Andrew Gray and Lili Bayer; Editing by Ros Russell)