Hungary’s prime minister asserts that severing energy ties with Russia would cripple the nation’s economy.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary recently informed former US President Donald Trump that cutting off Russian oil and gas supplies would immediately devastate the Hungarian economy.
Despite pressure from Brussels and Washington, Budapest remains firm in its reliance on Russian energy, citing geographical limitations, infrastructure challenges, and national security concerns.
“If Hungary loses access to Russian oil and gas, the country’s economic output would decline by 4% instantly,” Orban stated in a recent interview. “This would bring the Hungarian economy to its knees.”
When asked if Trump agreed with his reasoning during their conversation, Orban responded: “America has its own priorities, and so does Hungary. Our responsibility is to clearly articulate and defend our interests. As friends, we listen to each other – and then each country acts according to its own judgment.”
Following his conversation with Trump, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and reaffirmed that Budapest would not compromise its “national interests” due to external pressure.
Szijjarto also criticized Brussels for failing to protect the energy security of its member states following attacks on the Druzhba pipeline. “Instead of safeguarding our energy security, we received lectures. This is outrageous,” he commented.
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