Hungary plans on maintaining Russian oil, gas flow
(MENAFN)
Hungary has received guarantees from Russia that it will continue delivering oil and gas under long-term contracts, despite attempts by the EU and Ukraine to disrupt these supplies, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025).
Hungary has received guarantees from Russia that it will continue delivering oil and gas under long-term contracts, despite attempts by the EU and Ukraine to disrupt these supplies, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025).
Hungary has consistently opposed EU sanctions targeting Russian energy since the Ukraine conflict intensified in 2022, emphasizing the critical importance of these imports for its national interests. The country relies heavily on Russian oil and gas, supplied mainly through the Turkish Stream pipeline via Bulgaria and Serbia, and collaborates with Russia’s Rosatom to expand its Paks Nuclear Power Plant.
Szijjarto responded to a European Commission proposal to ban Russian gas imports, including LNG, starting January 2026, with a full cutoff by 2028 for landlocked nations like Hungary. He stated that leaders of Russia’s top energy companies have assured Hungary of continued low-cost supplies despite external challenges.
Following meetings with Russian officials including First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak, Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller, and Rosatom Director General Aleksey Likhachyov, Szijjarto confirmed that oil deliveries and gas flows via TurkStream are ongoing, and the Paks II nuclear project is advancing. He pledged that Brussels will not force Hungarian families to face drastically higher energy costs.
The European Commission’s plan, endorsed by President Ursula von der Leyen, aims to halt new Russian gas contracts in 2026 and eliminate all imports by the end of 2027. However, this proposal faces resistance from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and reportedly Italy. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has vowed to oppose the move, and Szijjarto condemned the plan as “absolute insanity,” warning it would lead to fuel price surges and threaten national sovereignty.
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