Hungary Drops EU Veto Bloc — Israeli Settler Sanctions Pass After Years of Orbán's Obstruction

Hungary's new Foreign Minister Anita Orbán announced on May 11 that Budapest would no longer deploy EU vetoes as a tool of 'blackmail,' marking a decisive break with the Orbán government's 16-year blocking strategy. The declaration immediately unlocked long-stalled EU Foreign Affairs Council decisions: ministers unanimously agreed to impose travel bans and asset freezes on Israeli West Bank settler organizations (Amana, Nachala, Hashomer Yosh, Regavim) and their leaders, as well as Hamas officials — measures Orbán had single-handedly blocked for over a year. The new Hungarian government of PM Péter Magyar and Commission President von der Leyen also agreed to finalize a deal by late May to unlock approximately €17 billion in frozen EU cohesion and Recovery and Resilience Facility funds, contingent on Hungary joining EPPO (the EU's anti-fraud prosecutor), restoring judicial independence, and reinstating press freedom protections. Hungary's reversal is expected to unblock a range of EU votes on Ukraine military aid, new Russia sanctions, and Western Balkans enlargement that had previously required compromise or workarounds.