Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long been a headache for European leaders who try to take a hard line on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Orban, a long-time Putin ally,

Hungary's biggest bank, OTP Bank , boosted its business with Russia last year, helping to bolster its profits, as rival European lenders came under increasing pressure to pare back their ties with Moscow due to its war in Ukraine.

Serbia, which for years maintained military connections with Russia and equipped itself with Russian aircraft, is now facing issues with them. Instead of pursuing further contracts with Moscow, Belgrade is increasingly looking to make agreements with NATO countries.

Hungary is looking to expand its cooperation with Romania in the gas sector to diversify its energy sources and their relevant companies are already negotiating an agreement, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday.

Hungary has threatened to block the latest package of sanctions against Russia unless it receives guarantees on the resumption of gas supplies through Ukraine.

Budapest voices concerns over an alleged second drone attack by Ukraine on key TurkStream gas pipeline pumping facility in Russia

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 ...