Szijjártó says Hungary intends to continue cooperation with Russia in the energy sector

Hungary reported that the state does not intend to abandon energy cooperation with Russia, if a more favorable offer will not be found. This was announced by the country's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on December 23.

Russia is a reliable partner for us in terms of energy supply, and this is a fact. "In such serious matters as energy security, you change a reliable source only if you get a more favorable offer," RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

Szijjártó also clarified that Hungary currently has no opportunity to change its energy supplier due to a lack of offers.

"If you refuse Russian energy sources, the remaining infrastructure is simply not capable of supplying Hungary," the Hungarian foreign minister said.

He added that if there is a pipeline, one can buy gas or oil, while in its absence this action turns into a "dream". According to him, no statements can stop the pipeline.

Into the next gas: How the West is trying to replace Russia in the Balkans

Although Moscow remains a reliable fuel supplier for the countries of the region

Earlier, on December 21, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Budapest was considering options to preserve the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. He suggested that the option of preserving transit is simply to change the owner of the gas.

Prior to that, on December 11, Szijjártó said that Russia and Hungary intend to continue energy cooperation. He said that during telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin they discussed different ways of payment for work at the Paks-2 nuclear power plant and gas. Both sides also expressed their desire to continue cooperation in the energy sector.