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Hungary vows to keep Russian gas flowing despite potential EU ban

24 July 2025 17:39

Hungary is prepared to explore alternative solutions with Russian energy companies should the European Union impose a ban on the import of Russian gas, according to the country’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

In an interview with Russia’s news agency, Szijjártó said that Budapest remains committed to securing its energy needs, and warned that any EU-imposed restrictions would endanger Hungary’s energy security, Caliber.Az reports.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2025 St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Szijjártó said he had held talks with executives from major Russian energy firms.

He claimed those companies were willing to maintain gas deliveries to Hungary, even if Brussels attempts to obstruct the trade.

“If no solution is found, Hungary’s energy supply will be at risk,” the minister said, adding that Budapest would act in its national interest to ensure continued access to Russian gas.

Hungary remains one of the EU’s most heavily reliant countries on Russian gas, importing approximately 7.5 billion cubic metres per year—nearly its entire annual consumption—primarily via the TurkStream pipeline since 2021.

A new legislative proposal under the EU’s REPowerEU plan would prohibit new Russian gas contracts from 2025 and mandate termination of long-term agreements by 2027–2028, aiming to phase out Russian fossil fuel imports altogether by 2028.

The EU’s shift is part of a broader strategy to halt energy funds fueling Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and to accelerate Europe’s transition to renewable energy and supply diversification.

Meanwhile, Hungary’s own energy-security model—anchored in strict regulatory price caps known as the utility cost reduction program—has insulated Hungarian households from soaring market prices and kept energy poverty levels among the lowest in the EU: just 9 % struggling to heat homes and 12 % falling behind on utility bills, compared to EU averages of 22 % and 26 % respectively.

A full ban on Russian gas, according to Századvég estimates, could push Hungarian households’ heating bills from around HUF 176,900 (€435) to HUF 625,000 (€1,540)—a near 3.5‑fold increase, and jeopardise the state‑subsidised pricing framework.

Hungary’s leadership—including Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—has criticised the EU’s timelines as unrealistic, arguing that Hungary’s landlocked geography and limited LNG and pipeline infrastructure make rapid supply diversification unfeasible.

They also contend that Brussels has failed to adequately fund the expansion of interconnectors and LNG terminals crucial for replacing Russian gas imports.

With regional counterparts such as Slovakia and Austria expressing reservations, the issue underscores deepening divisions within the EU over how to reconcile energy security, economic realism, and geopolitical objectives.

By Aghakazim Guliyev

Caliber.Az
Views: 529

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