Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has strongly opposed the European Commission’s newly unveiled plan to phase out all imports of Russian gas, oil and nuclear fuel by the end of 2027. The proposed strategy, aimed at eliminating the EU’s dependency on Russian energy, has sparked backlash from Budapest, which relies heavily on Russian supplies.
Szijjártó argued that the plan infringes on the sovereignty of EU member states by limiting their freedom to choose energy partners. He warned that an “ideologically driven” exclusion of Russian energy sources would lead to soaring prices across Europe and create serious economic difficulties for businesses. Calling the proposal “complete madness,” he stressed that Hungary would not support any EU decision that compromises its right to secure affordable and reliable energy.
Hungary currently imports over 80% of its natural gas from Russia via pipeline, while also supplementing its needs with liquefied natural gas (LNG). Despite EU sanctions following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Hungary has deepened its energy cooperation with Moscow.
The European Commission plans to propose binding legislation in June, requiring each member state to adopt national strategies to phase out Russian energy imports. The roadmap is part of the EU’s broader effort to reduce reliance on Russian resources in response to geopolitical tensions.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also voiced opposition, calling the plan “economic self-destruction” and vowing to push for changes during the legislative process.
Although Russian pipeline gas imports to the EU have dropped sharply since 2022, Russian LNG imports still made up around 19% of the EU’s total gas and LNG supply last year. In the interim, U.S. LNG deliveries have helped to offset lost volumes from Russian pipelines.
