Hungary Threatens to Veto EU Sanctions on Russia
Budapest may veto EU sanctions if it loses its exemptions regarding Russian energy supplies, as stated by Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Hungary may obstruct EU sanctions against Russia if its energy security is threatened, according to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. He stated that Budapest would only consent to the implementation of restrictions if it maintains current exemptions on Russian energy supplies.
In December 2022, the EU imposed a ban on the transportation of Russian crude oil by sea as part of its extensive sanctions in response to the Ukraine conflict. However, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic—being landlocked—insisted on receiving waivers due to the lack of alternate supply options.
“The sanctions are being reviewed in a cycle of six months usually, and as long as the sanctions are on, these exemptions must stay there, because otherwise we would veto the sanctions,” Szijjarto mentioned in an interview with RIA Novosti, released on Tuesday. He stressed that for Hungary, the issue of sourcing energy from Russia is not political; rather, it is about energy security.
Szijjarto pointed out that in addition to the sanctions on Russian oil, Brussels aims to eliminate Russian gas imports by 2028 as part of its REPowerEU initiative. He criticized this plan as an “absolutely irrational,” politically motivated decision.
“This approach has nothing to do with physics, with economic competitiveness… with the green transition. This is purely a political commitment, and making political commitments in the field of energy simply doesn’t make sense,” he asserted, accusing the EU of adopting a “dogmatic ideological approach,” which he classified as a “no go” for Hungary.
“You replace a source of energy in two cases – number one is if you are unsatisfied with cooperation… two – if you have a better offer… So why would we change an already existing source of energy based on reliable cooperation to something uncertain which on top of that is more expensive?” Szijjarto continued, referring to the EU's efforts to find alternative supply sources, such as the Middle East and the US.
Hungary's imports of Russian oil faced challenges earlier this year after Ukraine halted the transit of crude from Russian energy firm Lukoil via the Druzhba pipeline, citing sanctions against the company. Budapest criticized this action as “blackmail” in retaliation for its refusal to sever ties with Russia. The Hungarian government requested intervention from the European Commission, which declined, stating that Ukraine’s decision does not impact the bloc’s energy security. This matter remains unresolved.
Hungary depends on Russia for about 70% of its crude oil imports, with Lukoil supplying nearly half of that volume. Other Russian companies, such as Rosneft and Tatneft, which are not sanctioned, also contribute to Hungary's oil supply through the Druzhba pipeline.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
In December 2022, the EU imposed a ban on the transportation of Russian crude oil by sea as part of its extensive sanctions in response to the Ukraine conflict. However, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic—being landlocked—insisted on receiving waivers due to the lack of alternate supply options.
“The sanctions are being reviewed in a cycle of six months usually, and as long as the sanctions are on, these exemptions must stay there, because otherwise we would veto the sanctions,” Szijjarto mentioned in an interview with RIA Novosti, released on Tuesday. He stressed that for Hungary, the issue of sourcing energy from Russia is not political; rather, it is about energy security.
Szijjarto pointed out that in addition to the sanctions on Russian oil, Brussels aims to eliminate Russian gas imports by 2028 as part of its REPowerEU initiative. He criticized this plan as an “absolutely irrational,” politically motivated decision.
“This approach has nothing to do with physics, with economic competitiveness… with the green transition. This is purely a political commitment, and making political commitments in the field of energy simply doesn’t make sense,” he asserted, accusing the EU of adopting a “dogmatic ideological approach,” which he classified as a “no go” for Hungary.
“You replace a source of energy in two cases – number one is if you are unsatisfied with cooperation… two – if you have a better offer… So why would we change an already existing source of energy based on reliable cooperation to something uncertain which on top of that is more expensive?” Szijjarto continued, referring to the EU's efforts to find alternative supply sources, such as the Middle East and the US.
Hungary's imports of Russian oil faced challenges earlier this year after Ukraine halted the transit of crude from Russian energy firm Lukoil via the Druzhba pipeline, citing sanctions against the company. Budapest criticized this action as “blackmail” in retaliation for its refusal to sever ties with Russia. The Hungarian government requested intervention from the European Commission, which declined, stating that Ukraine’s decision does not impact the bloc’s energy security. This matter remains unresolved.
Hungary depends on Russia for about 70% of its crude oil imports, with Lukoil supplying nearly half of that volume. Other Russian companies, such as Rosneft and Tatneft, which are not sanctioned, also contribute to Hungary's oil supply through the Druzhba pipeline.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
