The dispute over the EU's next package of sanctions is highly superfluous. The fact that Hungary and Greece are blocking a decision because Ukraine has put companies from these countries on a list of war supporters has nothing to do with the sanctions. They are supposed to be directed against Russia. But it is also not high statesmanship that Ukraine created the stumbling block itself.

In Kiev, one should ask oneself whether it really serves one's own cause to provide people like the Hungarian Prime Minister with such templates. Orbán is just waiting for opportunities when he can present himself as a champion of national interests and send a signal of appeasement to Moscow.

American and German companies

The fact that even Greece, which actually sees itself as a close ally of Ukraine, is now willing to blockade shows that the diplomatic flair in dealing with allies in the Zelensky government is still underdeveloped. Even large American, French and German companies were put on the list.

In the end, they will probably pull themselves together, because everyone involved should be aware that there are more important things than this line-up. But it should also be clear to everyone who gets the most out of it when the adoption of sanctions is made more difficult because of such games.