The European Commission has decided to release around 550 million euros to Hungary to secure its support for the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. This reveals the cost of European unity and shows how a policy that appears common and indivisible to outsiders is formed internally. Extending existing individual sanctions against Russian officials and companies was routinely adopted on 12 September, but new steps affecting energy flows are regularly stalled. Every month without new sanctions means that Russian LNG continues to reach European terminalsThe economic logic of this move is clear. AdvertisementThe influx of budget funds from Brussels reduces internal pressure and gives the government political capital