Russian Nuclear Power Not Targeted in EU's New Package of Sanctions, Budapest Says

BUDAPEST (Sputnik) - The European Union's 10th package of sanctions against Moscow does not include restrictions against Russia's nuclear energy, Head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office Gergely Gulyas said Saturday.

Asked at a briefing in what way, if any, do the new EU sanctions target Russian nuclear power, Gulyas replied, "In no way, otherwise we would have vetoed them."

Hungarian authorities have repeatedly stated that they would not allow the imposition of sanctions that would in any way limit their cooperation with Russia on nuclear energy, as it would harm the country's national interests.

Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant, with four small Russian-built VVER 440 reactors, reportedly generates about half the country's power, and the plant gets its nuclear fuel from Russia.

Budapest has often criticized EU sanctions against Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine, arguing that they have failed to achieve their declared purpose of weakening the Russian economy and instead backfired at the European economy.