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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13824
Contents Publication in full By article 30 / 31
NEWS BRIEFS / Russia

Viktor Orbán calls for suspension of all sanctions related to Russian energy

09/03/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 9 March, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that he had sent a letter that same day to the presidents of the European Council, António Costa, and European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asking them to review and suspend the sanctions imposed on Russia’s energy sector. “The Ukrainian oil blockade and the war in the Middle East are sending oil prices soaring. Europe must act”, he explained on his X account. “The Ukrainian oil blockade introduced by Zelensky poses the most threat possible not only to Hungary and Slovakia but to the entire EU. To avert the danger [...] across Europe we must review and suspend all sanctions imposed on Russian energy”, he explained in a video. Mr Orbán is currently blocking the adoption of the €90 billion loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. (CG)

Contents

WAR IN MIDDLE EAST
ECONOMY : time has not yet come for emergency budgetary measures to be taken at European level in response to war in Middle East
MIDDLE EAST: Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa condemn Iran’s indiscriminate attacks on countries in region
CIVIL PROTECTION: more than 4,100 Europeans already repatriated from Middle East on emergency flights coordinated by EU
HUMANITARIAN AID: European Commission provides emergency aid for 130,000 Lebanese civilians affected by conflict in Middle East
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
FINANCE: European finance ministers examine risks and opportunities associated with stablecoins and euro-denominated tokenised deposits
ECONOMY/TRADE: targeted review of CBAM mechanism affecting economies of outermost regions advocated by France
TAXATION: review of Tobacco Taxation Directive - MEP Tomáš Kubín proposes a more gradual increase of minimum rates
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
EMPLOYMENT: quality jobs - Member States split on need for a new initiative to regulate artificial intelligence in workplace
EMPLOYMENT: eight Member States again call for EU measures to tackle fraudulent postings of workers from third countries
SECTORAL POLICIES
MIGRATION: ‘Bellamy’ report on recasting of ‘Returns’ Regulation wins out by a wide margin over report by Malik Azmani in European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties
INDUSTRY: nuclear energy - European Commission wants to help interested Member States produce small modular reactors more quickly
ENERGY: Cyprus Presidency of EU Council to give Member States more say in devising central network planning scenario
ENERGY: EU lagging behind on growth of energy communities, according to European Court of Auditors
ENVIRONMENT: European Commission invests €103 million in strategic projects in Europe
AGRICULTURE : European Commission continues its dialogue on unfair commercial practices
BIODIVERSITY: young Europeans make recommendations to protect pollinators in EU
TRANSPORT: ERC and ESPO call for a stronger port-rail interface in Europe
DIGITAL: explicit ban on AI models that generate sexual deepfakes does not convince European Commission
EXTERNAL ACTION
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Ursula von der Leyen calls for more realistic, interest-based foreign policy
CHINA: EU has means to put pressure on Beijing, according to EUISS
INSTITUTIONAL
EU2026CY: Cyprus Presidency of EU Council reschedules March informal ministerial meetings
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: European Disability Forum sounds alarm on stereotypes, violence and exclusion suffered by women
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
CLIMATE: Commissioner for Human Rights “urges” European States to support future United Nations Resolution on climate change
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE : European Commission launches a platform to strengthen role of women in agriculture
BUDGET: MFF 2028-2034 - European Commission launches a call for evidence on applying ‘do no significant harm’ principle
FINANCE/CLIMATE: EU taxonomy - European Commission launches call for advice on revision of delegated act on information to be published
INDIA: European Union and India hold their first dialogue on security and defence, one month after signing of their strategic partnership
ICELAND: referendum on resumption of accession negotiations will be held on 29 August
JUSTICE: EU Council confirms appointment of German Andrés Ritter as European Chief Prosecutor
RUSSIA: Viktor Orbán calls for suspension of all sanctions related to Russian energy
JUSTICE: fraud involving Recovery and Resilience Facility funds - in Turin, European Public Prosecutor’s Office orders seizure of €1.98 million in assets