Hungary, which has close ties with Russia, believes the European Union should lift its ban on Russian energy. Prices are rising amid US airstrikes on Iran and escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Points of attention
- Viktor Orban, Hungarian Prime Minister, advocates for lifting the ban on Russian energy in the EU, jeopardizing energy security in the region.
- Orban's loyalty to Russia in the energy sector raises concerns about his prioritization of Putin's interests over the EU's energy security.
Orban hypocritically "cares" about the EU in Putin's interests
According to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in the current situation, Europe is threatened by further increases in energy costs. Orban's video statement was published on Facebook after a meeting of the Hungarian Defense Council.
"This is a serious threat. That is why we in Brussels must abolish the rules and bans on Russian energy," Orban said. "We already have enough problems due to the negative impact of the Iran-Israel war on prices.
Viktor Orban
Prime Minister of Hungary
Hungary and Slovakia, which maintain close energy ties with Russia and continue to receive oil and gas supplies, have opposed the halt to imports, citing negative consequences for their economies.
The European Commission has presented a legally binding plan to ban imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas into the EU by the end of 2027. The document includes measures that will prevent individual countries, such as Hungary and Slovakia, from blocking the initiative.
The plan's goal is to end Europe's long-standing energy dependence on Russian gas, which developed before Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
On the same day, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó held telephone talks with his counterparts from Israel, Russia, Bahrain, and Jordan to discuss the crisis in the Middle East.
