Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó announced that Hungary and Slovakia will file legal action next week before the Court of Justice of the European Union, challenging the EU’s proposed ban on importing Russian oil and natural gas.
Szijjártó stated that Brussels plans to introduce a resolution next week that would impose a complete ban on Russian oil and gas entering the European market. He warned that such a measure would threaten the energy security of both Hungary and Slovakia, while also triggering a significant increase in energy prices.
He further described the initiative as a form of legal deception, arguing that the proposal effectively constitutes a sanctions measure that—according to EU rules—should require unanimous approval. Instead, he said, the European Commission intends to adopt the decision by qualified majority, even though EU treaties stipulate that energy policy remains primarily under national authority.
For these reasons, Szijjártó explained, the two governments will jointly file a lawsuit immediately after the regulation is adopted, requesting that the EU Court annul the decision and suspend its implementation until the legal proceedings are concluded.
On 20 October, the EU Council endorsed a gradual phase-out of all purchases of Russian natural gas, to take effect on 1 January 2028. This ban would cover both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG). The European Commission’s broader plan also foresees ending Russian oil deliveries by 2028, while a potential ban on nuclear fuel remains under discussion.
