Hungary risks losing more than 4 percent of its gross domestic product if it completely stops importing Russian gas, according to Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban. He noted that International Monetary Fund calculations estimate such a scenario would result in losses of around 10 billion dollars, making it extremely difficult for the country to maintain energy security under these conditions.
Despite broader European efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy, Hungary’s gas imports from Russia doubled in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto attributed this increase to supplies secured through the TurkStream pipeline, which continues to operate even after the suspension of transit through Ukraine.
The Balkan Stream pipeline, branching from TurkStream, currently serves as the main route delivering Russian gas to parts of southeastern Europe. It carries an estimated 14 to 15 billion cubic meters annually, supplying Hungary, Romania, Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Minister Szijjarto also highlighted that Hungary had already imported more than 5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas in 2025 and projected that total deliveries would reach record levels by the end of the year.
