The leader of the Hungarian TISZA party, Peter Magyar, who is to take over as prime minister in May, announced on Friday that The Druzhba pipeline, damaged in January by a Russian attack, may be restarted next week.
However, Magyar emphasized that resuming the operation of the infrastructure alone is not enough, which is why Hernadi is to talk in Moscow about stable supplies of raw material.
Oil and gas are key for Hungary
According to the data, in 2025 Hungary imported over 8.5 million tons of oil and over 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia. Such a significant dependence on Russian raw materials forces Budapest to take actions that will ensure continuity of supplies, even in the face of geopolitical tensions.
Read also: Russian oil will flow to Europe again. There is a preview by Peter Magyar
Magyar, quoted by 24.hu, noted that there is currently no threat to oil supplies via the Adriatic pipeline running through Croatia. He also added that the supplies of diesel and gasoline will remain secured, and the fuel price cap introduced by Viktor Orban's government will be maintained in the coming months..
Tensions between Budapest and Kyiv
During his visit to Germany, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the Druzhba pipeline will start operating by the end of April. Meanwhile, Orban's government accuses Kiev of deliberately delaying the resumption of infrastructure operations for political reasons. The Hungarian authorities are also blocking an EU loan for Ukraine in the amount of EUR 90 billion, which further aggravates relations between the countries.
Read also: The EU mission is stuck in Kiev. Zelensky does not allow the pipeline
Hungary, which for years has been emphasizing its different approach to energy policy and sanctions against Russia, seems to be continuing its strategy of close cooperation with Moscow. Hernadi's visit to Russia may be the next step in this policy, although its effects remain uncertain in the face of the changing geopolitical situation.
