Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Friday to block the next rollover of EU sanctions against Russia unless Brussels helps achieve a restart of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, which was halted on Jan.

Long reputed to be Russia-friendly, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has often railed against the continuation of the EU sanctions, claiming that they impose an intolerable burden on the Hungarian economy and provide no solution for the carnage in Ukraine.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský stated that Czechia is considering the possibility of creating a new initiative for Ukraine to purchase ammunition. The country is calling on other EU members to join.

The Danish model delivered around €590 million of locally manufactured weapons to Ukraine in 2024, the Danish Ministry of Defence says. The Danes are among the top military aid donors to Ukraine in absolute terms, behind the U.S., Germany and the U.K., according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s Ukraine Support Tracker.

Ukraine is ready to consider the possibility of cooperating with European operators on gas transit to the EU, but it is the European Commission that must decide whether the European side needs such transit and whether it is ready to provide it.

The remaining pipe bringing Russian gas to the bloc is the TurkStream line through Turkey, which provides Hungary with about 7.5bn cubic metres of gas. Budapest, along with the pro-Russian government in Slovakia, have been lobbying the EU to pressure Ukraine into restarting the gas transit.

The European Commission will continue talks with Ukraine on natural gas supplies to Europe and will include Hungary and Slovakia in these talks, according to a statement shared by an EU diplomat and seen by Reuters on Monday.

"We are requesting the extension [of preferences], but the EU member states need our predictability. Therefore, we proposed an option in which we will export products in line with the schedule and with certain monthly quantities," he said.

Hungary wants the European Union to intervene in a gas dispute it has with Ukraine, a potential sign of friction in the bloc’s upcoming discussions over renewing sanctions against Russia.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says that any peace settlement in Ukraine must involve Kyiv and come with more defense spending by regional countries to deter future Russian aggression.

Slovakian police have arrested a man allegedly linked to a coup threat, with local media identifying him as a Ukrainian national. Reports suggest the accused will be expelled to Ukraine. This development follows last year's assassination attempt on Slovak PM Robert Fico,