Hungary and Slovakia intend to seek the lifting of EU sanctions on gas from Russia

Hungary and Slovakia have announced their intention to jointly seek the lifting of the European Union (EU) ban on oil and gas supplies from Russia. This was announced on April 4 by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"We demand from Brussels the immediate suspension of sanctions and restrictions imposed on the Russian energy sector," he said in a video posted on the social network X (ex. Twitter), after a phone conversation with his Slovak colleague Robert Fico.

In addition, Orban said that Budapest and Bratislava consider it necessary to urgently take any action to stop the shortage of raw materials and fuel and rising energy prices. He noted that the EU should abandon plans to abandon Russian oil and gas, as well as the transition to a more expensive and inaccessible energy policy.

The Hungarian Prime Minister demanded that Brussels force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to open the Druzhba oil pipeline, which has been closed since January 27. He explained that Europe could face a rapidly approaching serious energy crisis. It clarifies that the European economy is facing a shortage of energy resources, and as a result, rising prices. The EU can avoid such a danger if it replenishes its oil and gas reserves from all possible sources.

Pressure on the gas: the enmity between Ukraine and Hungary is close to the boiling point

Budapest has blocked fuel supplies

Orban said on April 2 that the immediate lifting of sanctions against the Russian energy sector remains the only way to save the EU from the energy crisis.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on the same day that ideology should not be used to heat houses — gas is needed for this. According to him, the energy policy of the European Union has become hostage to ideological decisions, while energy supply issues should not be based on them.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.