The deal is expected to be reached by EU ambassadors during a morning emergency Coreper and then formalized at a gathering of foreign ministers in Brussels. Hungary’s threats prompted warnings from European leaders and high-level officials in Brussels.

Hungary, one of Russia’s main friends in the EU, had left its EU counterparts fuming over a refusal so far to approve the move.

Hungary has dropped its threat to prevent EU sanctions against Russia from being rolled over for another six months.

“Now the issue of extending sanctions is on the agenda, I have put on the handbrake and asked European leaders to understand that this cannot continue,” said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, speaking to state broadcaster Kossuth Radio. “Hungary cannot be made to pay the price of sanctions in such proportions.”

Hungary prolonged its blockage of the renewal of sanctions against Russia as Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the European Union to pressure Ukraine to re-establish the transit of Russian gas to Europe.

As Magyar Nemzet reported, Hungary blocked the extension of sanctions against Russia, putting significant pressure on European Union decision-makers. Prime Minister Viktor Orban made it clear that Hungary's support is conditional on the resumption of natural gas and oil transit through Ukraine, which has been halted in recently.

Viktor Orbán has flirted with killing the EU’s Russia sanctions. But he didn’t get the ally he might have expected in Donald Trump.

The European Union requires a unanimous vote to extend sanctions on Russia, a situation Hungary's Viktor Orban wants to use to pressure the bloc into forcing Ukraine to reopen a transit pipeline for Russian gas.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is conditioning the extension of sanctions against Russia on Ukraine, meeting several specific conditions. Among these conditions, he includes resuming Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory and ensuring the security of oil supplies.