Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that Hungary is protesting against the European Union’s move to abandon unanimity in decision-making concerning frozen Russian assets.
“Today, the people of Brussels are crossing the Rubicon. A written vote will be held at noon, which will cause irreparable damage to the EU. The subject of discussion will be frozen Russian assets,” Orban stated in his public announcement.
According to Orban, this procedure effectively nullifies the principle of unanimity—a requirement he asserts is illegal under EU law. He also accused the European Commission of systematically violating European legal norms by failing to ensure compliance with EU treaties.
“Hungary is protesting against this decision and will do everything to restore the legal situation,” Orban emphasized.
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on November 27 that confiscating Russian assets within the EU would trigger significant repercussions. The Kremlin has since indicated it is developing retaliatory measures. Belgian authorities rejected a European Union proposal on December 3 to use frozen Russian assets as collateral for loans to Ukraine, citing legal concerns due to the concentration of such funds in Euroclear, an international clearing system headquartered in Belgium.
