Orban says Ukraine posing threat of new European energy crisis
According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, Europe is facing a potential new energy crisis due to Ukraine’s move to halt gas transit and the imposition of new US sanctions. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized both Kyiv and Washington for actions he asserts are threatening energy security across Europe.
During a meeting in Belgrade with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to discuss “the security of energy supply in the two countries” and the broader region, Orban expressed concerns over Europe's energy situation. In a video message broadcast on Hungarian television, he highlighted the rising cost of fuel as a serious threat to public welfare and the economy, labeling the situation “simply outrageous.”
“In recent days, unfavorable developments have occurred in Europe’s energy supply. The Ukrainians have shut down the pipeline through which gas was supplied to Hungary, and the outgoing US administration has introduced measures that have raised energy prices in Europe as well,” Orban stated.
He further remarked, “What is happening now at Hungarian gas stations is outrageous, perhaps even infuriating. Europe is hurtling toward an energy crisis, and Hungary must find a way to stay out of it, which is not easy.”
Orban underscored the necessity of protecting the TurkStream pipeline, which delivers gas to Hungary through Serbia and suffered attacks from Ukrainian drones targeting a compressor station in Russia.
“Our task now is to protect the only remaining gas pipeline that brings gas from Russian territory to Hungary. This pipeline arrives in Hungary through Serbia, and it is in our shared interest to defend it together,” he said, adding that safeguarding the pipeline is vital for shielding Hungarian families, households, and businesses from escalating energy costs.
Ukraine's refusal to extend a five-year gas transit agreement with Gazprom beyond 2024 means that Russian pipeline gas supplies to Hungary, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, and Moldova will be curtailed. Hungary is now dependent on the TurkStream pipeline, a key energy corridor that transports natural gas from Russia to Türkiye under the Black Sea.
The pipeline consists of two sections: one meeting Ankara’s domestic needs, while the other delivers gas to Bulgaria. This route then goes on to Serbia and Hungary, linking other EU nations to Russian natural gas supplies. At present, it is the sole conduit for Russian natural gas to southern and southeastern Europe, avoiding Ukraine.
Recently, Kyiv aimed at the compressor station in Russia’s Krasnodar Region, which feeds gas into TurkStream. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the attack, which involved nine kamikaze drones, was largely countered, though one fixed-wing drone crashed near a gas meter causing minor damage.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Kyiv of perpetuating an “energy terrorism” policy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested possible US involvement in an effort to sabotage the gas facility, asserting, “I have a firm belief that the US needs no competitor in any fields, starting with energy.”
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
During a meeting in Belgrade with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to discuss “the security of energy supply in the two countries” and the broader region, Orban expressed concerns over Europe's energy situation. In a video message broadcast on Hungarian television, he highlighted the rising cost of fuel as a serious threat to public welfare and the economy, labeling the situation “simply outrageous.”
“In recent days, unfavorable developments have occurred in Europe’s energy supply. The Ukrainians have shut down the pipeline through which gas was supplied to Hungary, and the outgoing US administration has introduced measures that have raised energy prices in Europe as well,” Orban stated.
He further remarked, “What is happening now at Hungarian gas stations is outrageous, perhaps even infuriating. Europe is hurtling toward an energy crisis, and Hungary must find a way to stay out of it, which is not easy.”
Orban underscored the necessity of protecting the TurkStream pipeline, which delivers gas to Hungary through Serbia and suffered attacks from Ukrainian drones targeting a compressor station in Russia.
“Our task now is to protect the only remaining gas pipeline that brings gas from Russian territory to Hungary. This pipeline arrives in Hungary through Serbia, and it is in our shared interest to defend it together,” he said, adding that safeguarding the pipeline is vital for shielding Hungarian families, households, and businesses from escalating energy costs.
Ukraine's refusal to extend a five-year gas transit agreement with Gazprom beyond 2024 means that Russian pipeline gas supplies to Hungary, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, and Moldova will be curtailed. Hungary is now dependent on the TurkStream pipeline, a key energy corridor that transports natural gas from Russia to Türkiye under the Black Sea.
The pipeline consists of two sections: one meeting Ankara’s domestic needs, while the other delivers gas to Bulgaria. This route then goes on to Serbia and Hungary, linking other EU nations to Russian natural gas supplies. At present, it is the sole conduit for Russian natural gas to southern and southeastern Europe, avoiding Ukraine.
Recently, Kyiv aimed at the compressor station in Russia’s Krasnodar Region, which feeds gas into TurkStream. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the attack, which involved nine kamikaze drones, was largely countered, though one fixed-wing drone crashed near a gas meter causing minor damage.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Kyiv of perpetuating an “energy terrorism” policy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested possible US involvement in an effort to sabotage the gas facility, asserting, “I have a firm belief that the US needs no competitor in any fields, starting with energy.”
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
