The EU Friday agreed to drop three Russian individuals from its sanctions list as the price for Hungary's Viktor Orban to drop a threat to veto Europe's sanctions against Russia.

The EU has removed a number of Russians from its sanctions list after pressure from Hungary and Slovakia, securing a deal to extend broader measures. The move highlights growing divisions within the bloc over its stance on Moscow,

The EU’s Russia sanctions must be renewed every six months, requiring consent from all 27 countries. In recent months, Hungary has consistently threatened to torch the sanctions every time one component comes up for renewal, pointing to U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing ceasefire talks over the war in Ukraine.