Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto speaking at the UN
Hungary defends Russian energy use
Claims the country lacks alternatives to Russian oil and gas may be exaggerated, although higher costs and reduced security of supply are legitimate concerns.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto delivered a combative address at the Gastech conference in Milan in September, defending his country’s continued reliance on Russian oil and gas while attacking EU energy policy. Hungary and neighbouring Slovakia are among a handful of EU member states that still depend heavily on Russian hydrocarbons. Hungary sourced 86% of its oil from Russia last year, according to Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), while Slovakia is nearly 100% dependent. They do so thanks to exemptions the European Commission granted them to an embargo on Russian oil that came into force in 2023. These exemptions have no set expiry. Likewise, the
Also in this section
14 April 2026
The GECF has warned it may revise its projections for demand this year downwards in light of conflict in the Middle East, although it maintains its forecasts for 2027 and onwards
13 April 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis highlights sharp shift from crude oversupply to market deficit, with Iraq and Kuwait badly affected and key producers Saudi Arabia and the UAE also seeing output sharply lower
13 April 2026
Turkmenistan is moving ahead with a modest expansion of the giant Galkynysh field to sustain gas deliveries abroad, but persistent delays to other key pipeline projects and geopolitical risks continue to constrain its export ambitions
13 April 2026
Expensive electricity has forced out swathes of energy-intensive industry and now threatens the country’s ability to attract future investment in datacentres and the digital economy
