Hungary strengthens energy cooperation with Russia despite war in Ukraine

Hungary’s Foreign Minister travelled to Moscow for talks with Russian authorities on energy security, reinforcing a strategic energy partnership already bolstered by record gas and oil deliveries in 2024.

Partagez:

Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, announced he had travelled to Moscow to discuss peace conditions and energy security. The visit followed a US announcement of a partial truce in Ukraine. Talks focused on enhancing economic cooperation between the two nations, particularly in the energy sector.

Bilateral meeting focused on energy

During the visit, Péter Szijjártó met with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation responsible for energy, Alexander Novak. According to an official statement from the Russian government, Hungary reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining stable energy cooperation with Russia, underlining the importance of this relationship for national supply. The Hungarian minister emphasised the consistency of Russian deliveries, stating they contributed directly to Hungary’s energy security.

In 2024, Hungary imported 8.6 billion cubic metres of natural gas and 4.78 million tonnes of crude oil from Russia. These figures marked a historical record, reinforcing Moscow’s role as a key energy partner for Budapest despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe.

Strategic alignment under European tensions

Alexander Novak praised Hungary’s stance, describing it as “constructive” amid ongoing efforts by Budapest to ease certain European Union sanctions against Russia. Although Hungary has formally endorsed all sanctions packages since the start of the Ukraine conflict, it has repeatedly worked to delay or soften their implementation.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close political ally of Vladimir Putin, has maintained a divergent position within the European Union, refusing to provide military assistance to Kyiv since the beginning of the invasion. This stance was echoed by Péter Szijjártó, who welcomed recent US-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia, calling them a significant step towards de-escalation.

Budapest and Bratislava jointly reject the European Commission's proposal to ban Russian energy supplies, highlighting significant economic risks and a direct threat to their energy security, days ahead of a key meeting.
Libya officially contests Greece's allocation of offshore oil permits, exacerbating regional tensions over disputed maritime areas south of Crete, rich in hydrocarbons and contested by several Mediterranean states.
Hungary, supported by Slovakia, strongly expresses opposition to the European Commission's plan to phase out imports of Russian energy resources, citing major economic and energy impacts for Central Europe.
Israeli military strikes on Iran's Natanz nuclear site destroyed critical electrical infrastructure but did not reach strategic underground facilities, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The French president travels to Nuuk on 15 June to support Greenlandic sovereignty, review energy projects and respond to recent US pressure, according to the Élysée.
Kazakhstan has selected Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation to build two nuclear power plants totaling 2.4 GW, a decision following a favorable referendum and coinciding with Xi Jinping’s upcoming strategic visit.
Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear sites disrupt US-Iranian talks on the nuclear deal. Tehran now considers canceling the upcoming negotiation round in Oman, heightening regional economic concerns.
Facing alarming breaches of uranium enrichment thresholds by Iran and explicit existential threats, Israel launches targeted military strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, escalating regional tensions dramatically.
The Kremlin has confirmed that Vladimir Putin aims to help resolve the nuclear dispute between the United States and Iran, leveraging strengthened strategic ties with Tehran.
President Lee Jae-myung adopts an energy diplomacy rooted in national interest, amid a complex international landscape of rivalries that could create challenging situations for the country and its energy businesses.
Paris and Warsaw held a bilateral workshop in Warsaw to strengthen coordination on electricity infrastructure investments and supply security under the Nancy Treaty.
Donald Trump firmly rejects any uranium enrichment by Iran, while Russia affirms Tehran’s right to civil nuclear power, intensifying tensions in negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program.
Syria has signed a $7bn agreement with a consortium of companies from Qatar, Turkey and the United States to rebuild its national power sector.
Friedrich Merz confirmed that Germany would block any attempt to relaunch the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, despite internal calls suggesting a potential reopening of dialogue with Moscow.
A memorandum of understanding formalises energy cooperation between the European Union and the Latin American Energy Organization, including permanent EU participation in the organisation’s governance bodies.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary would oppose the EU's plan to ban Russian energy deliveries by 2027, both legally and politically.
Michael Kretschmer, Minister-President of Saxony, proposed restarting dialogue with Russia on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, despite clear opposition from the German government to any reactivation of the project.
Donald Trump is calling on the United Kingdom to abandon wind energy in favor of revitalizing offshore oil extraction, sparking debate over the economic and political implications of such an energy strategy after their recent trade agreement.
China and Egypt concluded over 30 energy-focused agreements, including electric vehicles, smart grids and storage technologies.
Facing Russian dominance in the Akkuyu nuclear project, Turkey accelerates international negotiations, aiming to mitigate risks related to energy dependency and potential strategic conflicts of interest.