Iran Press/ Europe: On February 24, Russia formally declared a special military operation against Ukraine, noting that its operation in Ukraine is not a start to the war, but an attempt to prevent a global war.
But many countries around the world, including Europe and the United States, immediately condemned Russia's move as a war against Ukraine and began to increase their diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Europe cannot secure its energy supplies without imports from Russia.
Energy was deliberately left out of previous rounds of sanctions, Scholz said in a news release Monday, adding Russia energy is of “essential importance” to the general, daily lives of its citizens.
Meanwhile, Hungary’s finance minister Mihaly Varga said his government would not support any sanctions on Russian energy.
In a Facebook video posted Monday, he spoke of the substantial damage existing sanctions on Russia have had on its economy. 219
