This new package of sanctions constitutes a serious challenge for Central Europe, since the list of those punished includes companies of vital importance for the supply of oil to Serbia, said the head of Hungarian diplomacy, quoted by the M1 channel.

US President Joe Biden, who will be replaced in the White House by Donald Trump on the 20th, approved unilateral punitive measures against Russian oil companies and the Serbian company NIS.

The new US restrictions will cause a reduction in oil and gas supplies, which may lead to a sharp increase in fuel prices in Central Europe, warned Szijjártó.

Therefore, in the coming days and weeks we will consult with our regional partners to minimize the influence of energy sanctions on rising fuel prices, in order to protect the Hungarian people and Central Europe, he said.

Washington announced last Friday sanctions against 13 Russian personalities, including executives of large oil companies and officials of the Ministry of Energy of the Asian giant, as well as against 30 energy service companies operating in that nation.

The list of officials includes Russian Deputy Ministers of Energy Roman Marshavin and Eduard Sheremetsev, as well as the head of the Department of Coal Industry of that ministry, Petr Bobilev, and the head of the Department of Special Projects, Vadim Pavlov, among others.

In addition, the US Treasury Department punished the executives of Gazprom Nefti, Surgutneftegaz, Lukoil, Tatneft, Velltej and Zarubezhneft, among other companies.

The package of economic warfare measures also covered 27 subsidiaries of Gazprom Nefti and Zarubezhneft, as well as structures involved in the production of liquefied gas, the metallurgical, mining and oil extraction sectors, and the Rosatom company.

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