Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto defended his country’s continued imports of Russian oil, arguing that Hungary has no alternatives while other European states secretly import the same crude at cheaper rates through intermediaries.
“We buy Russian oil openly because we have no other option. They buy Russian oil secretly because it is cheaper,” Szijjarto told reporters on Friday.
Speaking after a meeting of the Hungary-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee, Szijjarto accused several EU countries of double standards.
“Among those who shout the loudest at Hungary and Slovakia over their oil purchases, there are a significant number who also buy Russian oil, only indirectly, through certain Asian countries,” he said.
Szijjarto explained that Hungary relies on Russian energy because of physical infrastructure limits.
He said the European Union rejected Budapest’s request to expand Southeast European gas pipeline capacities, while Croatia increased transit fees on an alternative pipeline route instead of enlarging capacity. He stressed that Hungary cooperates with Russia only to secure supply.
The minister responded to US President Donald Trump’s recent call for Europe to halt Russian oil imports.
Trump had accused EU states of financing Moscow’s war effort through fuel purchases, noting that Russia earned about €1.1 billion from EU fuel sales in the past year.
The European Commission is advancing its REPowerEU strategy, which aims to diversify supplies and cut EU dependence on Russian energy by 2027.
The plan includes joint procurement, supplier negotiations, and expanding the share of renewable energy by 2030.
Hungary and Slovakia have voiced opposition to REPowerEU, warning that the plan threatens their economies and energy security.
In July 2025, Slovakia blocked the adoption of the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Russia, citing the risks of further energy restrictions.
Szijjarto also confirmed that Budapest will refuse to back the launch of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations. He tied Hungary’s stance to its broader concerns about energy security and EU decision-making.
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