Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, expressed satisfaction with the country’s energy cooperation with Russia, stating that Hungary will only consider moving away from a reliable and competitively priced energy source if a better alternative is available. However, he emphasized that no such alternative currently exists.
Speaking at a press conference following an EU council meeting on trade affairs in Brussels, Szijjártó reaffirmed Hungary’s position that decisions regarding the composition of its energy mix should remain a matter of national sovereignty.
He stated, “We reject any attempts to influence how, where, and from whom we purchase energy,” adding that energy security is an integral part of national security. He made it clear that Hungary would not tolerate outside interference in its energy security discussions.
Szijjártó also defended Hungary’s energy dealings with Russia, emphasizing that, based on the country’s experience, Russia has been a reliable energy supplier. He further criticized the “hypocrisy” of sanctions policies, pointing out that while Hungary is criticized in Brussels for not cutting ties with Russian energy, other European countries are still heavily reliant on Russian energy. Notably, he cited France, which increased its imports of Russian LNG by 110 percent over six months. Szijjártó highlighted that 87 percent of Russian LNG delivered to Western Europe goes to France, Belgium and Spain.
