Szijjártó: Hungary ready to discuss Russian gas supplies via Turkish Stream

The Hungarian government is ready to consider the possibility of importing Russian gas via the Turkish Stream pipeline if Russia and Ukraine fail to agree on extending the transit of fuel through the country's territory, the country's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told Gazeta.ru.

The agency indicates that in 2024 the contract between Moscow and Kyiv on gas supplies expires. At the same time, journalists asked the head of the Hungarian agency whether Budapest was ready to stop transit.

However, the agency's interlocutor noted that the Ukrainian authorities receive a large income thanks to this agreement. In this connection, he doubted Kyiv's desire to abandon the agreement with Moscow and lose money.

Nevertheless, Szijjártó drew attention to the existence of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, which has a huge capacity. According to the diplomatic chief, the capacity of this pipeline is 8.5 billion cubic metres of fuel.

"In principle, the long-term contract can be fulfilled and the volume that was fixed in the long-term contract can also be easily delivered through this pipeline. Because according to our long-term contract, Gazprom Export should deliver 4.5 billion cubic metres of gas to Hungary every year," the minister explained.

He added that if negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv on extending the fuel transit agreement fail, Budapest will have to amend the contract with the Russian exporter. Szijjártó said Hungary considers the choice of the supply route a technical issue and is ready to discuss imports via the Turkish Stream if necessary.

"We are ready to discuss the methodology If this technical issue needs to be discussed, we will definitely discuss it, but we are not at that stage yet," the agency's interlocutor summarised.