Hungarian PM urges Europe to lift sanctions on Russian energy

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called for an end to European sanctions on Russian oil and gas, citing the risk of a global energy crisis amid tensions surrounding Iran.

Speaking after inspecting a section of the pipeline and metering station in Kiskundorozsma near the Serbian border, Orbán stressed, “Europe is approaching an extremely serious energy crisis, and the next few weeks will be critical,” TASS reports.

He warned of potential competition for energy sources similar to vaccine shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Orbán’s inspection followed an attempted sabotage on the Serbian section of the TurkStream pipeline, which supplies fuel to Hungary and Slovakia. He ordered the 250-kilometre pipeline stretch on Hungarian territory to be placed under military protection. 

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accompanied him, emphasising that Hungary’s energy supply is secure but the pipeline must be safeguarded, noting, “If this pipeline is cut, the Hungarian economy will halt.”

Orbán refrained from attributing blame for the Serbian sabotage pending investigation but referenced previous Ukrainian attacks on Nord Stream and the disruption of Russian gas transit and oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline. Szijjártó added that the goal of these actions is “to fully exclude Russian gas and oil from Europe,” pointing to political measures and terrorist attacks, beginning with the Nord Stream explosion.

By Jeyhun Aghazada