Hungary relies on American gas. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces a “milestone”

On Tuesday, the Hungarian state-owned energy company MVM signed a five-year contract with the American concern Chevron for the supply of 400 million cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

“We have reached an important milestone in energy cooperation between the US and Hungary. Over the next five years, two billion cubic meters of American LNG will reach Hungary. We are interested in purchasing energy from as many sources and routes as possible, while ensuring the lowest prices,” the head of Hungarian diplomacy wrote on the X platform.

The agreement means that for the first time US-sourced LNG will be part of the Hungarian energy mix.

In Szijjarto's assessment, “Hungarian-American relations have entered a new golden era since President Donald Trump took office.” The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked the American leader for supporting Hungary's energy security, stating that Washington is strengthening it, while Brussels is constantly undermining it.

The government in Budapest – still dependent on imports of energy carriers from Russia – is opposed to the sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia and its energy sector. Hungary signed a 15-year agreement with Russia in 2021 to purchase 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and in 2024 it increased purchases from Gazprom, importing approximately 7.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas via the TurkStream gas pipeline.

In recent months, the Hungarian authorities have made attempts to diversify supplies, including: by signing the largest contract in the country's history for the purchase of gas from a Western company. In October, an agreement was signed with the French company Engie for the purchase of 400 million cubic meters of LNG per year in 2028-2038. In December, Hungary and Azerbaijan signed a framework agreement for the purchase of 800 million cubic meters of natural gas over the next two years.

Jakub Bawołek from Budapest (PAP)

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