Hungary demands Ukraine uphold gas transit obligations under EU deal

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has said that Ukraine is obliged to fulfil the terms of the association agreement with the European Union, which, particularly implies maintaining the existing routes for transporting Russian gas to European countries.

He made the remarks commenting on Ukraine's decision to stop gas transit from Russia to the EU countries from January 1, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The Hungarian foreign minister said he had discussed the situation by phone with Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar.

“We agreed that the association agreement between the EU and Ukraine should be respected by both sides and that this agreement also provides for the preservation of energy transport routes,” Szijjártó said.

Notably, the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement (AA) is a landmark accord that represents a significant step in Ukraine's political and economic integration with the European Union. Signed in 2014, the agreement reflects both Ukraine's aspirations to align more closely with European standards and the EU’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s reform agenda. The agreement covers a wide range of areas, including political dialogue, human rights, economic cooperation, and the establishment of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).

In February 2022, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv formally applied for EU membership. This move was followed by a historic decision in June 2022, when the European Council granted Ukraine candidate status, a major step toward full EU membership. By 2024, Ukraine officially commenced EU accession negotiations, signalling a deeper commitment from both sides to integrate Ukraine into the EU framework.

By Khagan Isayev