Budapest – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pledged to continue importing Russian energy during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday, in a move likely to further strain relations with the European Union.
During televised remarks, Orban stated, “I want to emphasize that energy supplies from Russia currently form the basis of Hungary’s energy supply and will continue to do so in the future.” He added, “We have not abandoned cooperation in any area, despite all external pressure.”
Orban, known for his friendly ties with both former US President Donald Trump and Putin, has resisted diversifying Hungary’s energy imports since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, unlike many of his European neighbors.
Putin expressed his satisfaction with the continuation of relations between the two countries, describing them as built on “pragmatism.”
Observers suggest this meeting could provoke anger within the EU, which is actively trying to end its dependence on Russian fossil fuels and continues to impose sanctions to pressure Moscow to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Orban announced he had appealed to the European Court of Justice against the decision by a majority of member states to agree in October on a principle to ban imports of Russian natural gas by the end of 2027.
Putin welcomed the preservation of relations between Moscow and Budapest “despite all the difficulties we face today,” as well as Orban’s “balanced” position on the “Ukrainian issue.”
The Hungarian Prime Minister has refused to send military aid to Ukraine and has opposed, within both NATO and the EU, taking stronger action against Russia.
Ahead of parliamentary elections, Orban declared on Facebook before the meeting that he wanted to secure energy supplies “at a reasonable price,” boasting about the decline in fuel prices in his country thanks to imports of Russian gas and oil.
This announcement comes a day after Putin asserted that the conflict would only end if Ukraine agreed to Russia’s demands.
