Budapest will continue to purchase Russian energy carriers, said Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, commenting on Donald Trump's calls to stop imports. The Hungarian diplomat called alternative supply options a "nice dream" and criticized Western European officials as "fanatics." This is stated in The Guardian material, writes UNN.
Details
In an interview with The Guardian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Szijjártó emphasized:
"We cannot ensure a secure supply (of energy carriers – ed.) for our country without Russian sources of oil or gas."
According to him, the supply of energy carriers for Hungary is primarily a matter of physical infrastructure. Szijjártó stated that "it might be nice to dream of buying oil and gas somewhere" other than Russia. But, according to him, Hungary can only buy where it has the infrastructure.
And if you look at the physical infrastructure, it is obvious that without Russian supplies, it is impossible to ensure a safe supply to the country.
Trump previously stated that he is ready to impose tough sanctions against Russia only if all NATO members "stop buying oil from Russia." This demand was supported by individual European leaders, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who called for pressure on Hungary and Slovakia.
Despite the pressure, official Budapest maintains a tough stance. Szijjártó sharply criticized European officials.
It is absolutely impossible to have a rational dialogue based on facts and common sense… Western European officials are fanatics.
At the same time, the Hungarian minister emphasized that relations with the United States have improved, especially given the Viktor Orbán government's sympathy for Trump.
According to The Guardian, the Hungarian group MOL imports about 5 million tons of oil annually through the Druzhba pipeline, meeting the needs of Hungary and Slovakia. These two countries are the most resistant to European calls to stop imports from Russia, while other states in the bloc are considering restrictions even without Budapest's consent.
Recall
Slovakia and Hungary warned that they would not succumb to pressure from US President Donald Trump, who calls for reducing imports of Russian oil and gas until EU countries ensure reliable alternative energy supplies.
The European Union is discussing the introduction of trade restrictions on imports of Russian oil, which still remain the main source of energy for Hungary and Slovakia.