(MENAFN) During his recent visit to Moscow, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced that his country has reached an agreement with Russian energy company Gazprom for possible gas supplies exceeding the amount stipulated in long-term contracts if the need arises during preparations for winter.
The talks with the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak and the CEO of Russian nuclear energy powerhouse Rosatom, Aleksey Likhachev, also touched on the possibility of speeding up the expansion of Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant by Rosatom. It should be noted that Hungary's nuclear cooperation with Russia has stirred opposition from some EU member states.
Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas (about 85 percent), has consistently criticized the EU's sanctions policy against Moscow. Hungary's stance towards curbs on Russian gas imports and nuclear energy industry is clear, with Budapest opposing any such measures. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has managed to secure an exemption from the bloc's sanctions on Russian crude oil imports, highlighting the country's close ties with Russia.
The talks between Hungary and Russia could signal a deepening of their economic ties, which have already seen Russia become Hungary's top non-European Union trading partner.
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