Hungary has threatened to block the EU’s renewal of sanctions imposed on about 2,000 Russians unless oligarch Mikhail Fridman is removed from the list. The travel restrictions and asset freeze orders imposed on politicians and businesspeople deemed to have supported or facilitated Russia’s war on Ukraine will expire on Saturday unless all 27 EU capitals agree to roll them over for another six months.

The European Union is nearing an agreement to extend sanctions on individual Russians, including a number of billionaires, after Hungary dropped its opposition.