Hungarian Prime Minister defies Brussels: Viktor Orban promises in the Kremlin to continue imports of hydrocarbons from Russia
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday in Moscow that Hungary will continue to rely on Russian energy, despite the hard line adopted by the European Union towards Russia. The statements made in front of President Vladimir Putin have once again raised criticism in Brussels, at a time when the EU bloc is trying to reduce its energy dependence on Moscow.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin PHOTO: EPA EFE
During the Kremlin meeting, Viktor Orban emphasized that Hungary does not intend to give up Russian energy.
“I would like to reaffirm that the energy supply from Russia is currently the basis of Hungary's energy supply and will remain so in the future“, said the prime minister, according to the images broadcast on television.
AFP notes that, unlike many European partners, Orban did not really try to diversify its energy sources after the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022. The Hungarian prime minister, considered close to both the Russian leader and US President Donald Trump, a rare situation among EU leaders, said that Budapest did not give in to external pressure.
“We have not abandoned cooperation in any field, despite all external pressuresOrban said, quoted by Agerpres.
Tensions with Brussels
The meeting between Orban and Putin risks causing harsh reactions in the EU, where member states continue to impose sanctions on Moscow and try to reduce dependence on Russian gas and oil. Brussels thus hopes to weaken Russia's ability to finance the war in Ukraine.
At the beginning of the month, Viktor Orban announced that he had referred the Court of Justice of the European Union to contest the decision of the member states to ban, until 2027, imports of Russian natural gas.
Putin praises the relationship with Budapest
For his part, Vladimir Putin declared himself pleased with the evolution of relations with Hungary, which he described as “based on pragmatism“.
The Russian president welcomed the maintenance of bilateral cooperation “despite all the difficulties today” and praised the position “balanceOrban's “the Ukrainian issue“.
AFP recalls that the Hungarian prime minister refused to send weapons to Ukraine and opposed tougher measures against Moscow within the EU and NATO.
Cheap energy before the elections
The meeting comes at a sensitive moment for the leader from Budapest, who is preparing for next year's parliamentary elections. On Facebook, Orban recently told Hungarians that he wants to ensure “energy at an affordable price”boasting about the country's low tariffs due to gas and oil imports from Russia.
He also recalled that at the beginning of November he obtained from Donald Trump a one-year exemption from the American sanctions on Russian oil.
“I made it, which is great“, declared Orban, specifying that “now all we need is gas and oil, which we can buy from the Russians“.
Orban wants peace negotiations in Hungary
At the Kremlin, the Hungarian prime minister also spoke about the war in Ukraine, expressing his hope that the peace plans on the table will lead to an armistice.
“We sincerely hope that the peace proposals on the table will lead to a truce and peace“, he said, referring to the plan recently presented by the United States and later adjusted together with Ukraine.
Orban emphasized that Hungary “suffer significant economic losses” because of the conflict and again offered to host possible peace negotiations.
The invitation of Trump and Putin to Budapest
Although a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, announced for October in Budapest, did not take place, the Hungarian prime minister renewed his invitation for a Russia-US summit in the Hungarian capital on Friday, according to MTI and dpa.
Putin thanked for the proposal, noting that the American leader recently suggested the idea of a meeting and stating that he would be willing to participate if the negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine made concrete progress.
