The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, urged Hungary and other EU member states that continue to purchase Russian energy to end their imports, emphasizing that cutting funding is essential to stop the war in Ukraine. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg Television, Kallas highlighted that the EU’s transition away from Russian energy should accelerate and noted that despite entreaties, Hungary has so far refused to comply, citing the lower cost of Russian energy. The EU is preparing its 19th sanctions package, which would include a ban on Russian LNG imports starting January 2027, sanctions on Russian banks and certain lenders in Belarus and Kazakhstan, restrictions on some crypto exchanges, and trade limitations on Chinese and Indian entities that have facilitated Russia’s circumvention of previous EU curbs.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reaffirmed the country’s stance, stating that Hungary has no plans to stop buying Russian oil, even if urged by international leaders such as former U.S. President Donald Trump. He explained that Hungary’s landlocked geography limits its ability to diversify energy sources, as building a refinery or LNG terminal at the coast is not feasible, restricting access to global markets.
Kallas also addressed broader geopolitical concerns, particularly regarding China’s coercive economic practices and its ongoing support of Russia’s war in Ukraine. She welcomed Trump’s recent shift in tone on Ukraine, following his statements at the United Nations General Assembly suggesting that Ukraine could regain lost territory with EU support. This change aligns with EU efforts to increase pressure on Russia, particularly targeting its energy revenues.
While most European nations have stopped direct purchases of Russian oil following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, landlocked countries like Hungary and Slovakia, which rely on the Druzhba pipeline, continue to import Russian oil, presenting a challenge to EU-wide energy sanctions and transition efforts.
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