Hungary says alternatives could replace Russian gas within a year, and that it could technically replace Russian natural gas within a year. The statement points to a potentially important shift in Central and Southeast European gas flows as Budapest increases access to alternative supply routes. Hungary also said it has sufficient pipeline infrastructure to source gas from neighbouring countries.
Budapest said it could secure non-Russian supply by October 2027. The timeframe is linked to access to alternative routes rather than changes to existing demand patterns. The same statement places the focus on diversification of supply sources.
MVM diversification agreements and LNG via Krk terminal
State-owned MVM has signed diversification agreements that involve LNG delivered through Croatia’s Krk terminal. The company has also agreed additional supplies from Western companies under the diversification arrangements. MVM retains a long-term Gazprom contract for up to 4.5 bcm a year.
Under the current contract structure, most Russian volumes arrive through TurkStream and its Southeast European extensions. The diversification agreements are positioned alongside continued access to Russian supplies under the Gazprom arrangement. The operational mix therefore includes both LNG deliveries through Krk and pipeline flows associated with TurkStream.
Adria pipeline discussions for crude alternative to Druzhba
Hungary is also discussing greater use of Croatia’s Adria oil pipeline as an alternative to Russian crude delivered through Druzhba. The discussions relate to changing sourcing routes for crude rather than altering the underlying destination markets named in the diversification push. Croatia’s role is therefore referenced across both gas and oil logistics.
Transit and supply markets across Southeast Europe
A diversification push would increase the strategic value of Croatia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia as transit or supply markets. The commercial issue highlighted in the statement is increasingly the delivered price of alternative gas rather than physical availability of alternative routes. This framing ties route access to pricing outcomes for end supply.
