Hungary FM condemns US over recent Russia sanctions

(MENAFN) Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has condemned the US’s recent sanctions against Russia’s Gazprombank, claiming that the move undermines energy security in Central Europe. The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on over 50 Russian financial institutions, including Gazprombank, which is a key player in energy transactions between Russia and Europe. These sanctions cut off Gazprombank from the SWIFT messaging system, blocking dollar-based transactions.

Szijjarto argued that the sanctions deliberately put Central European countries in a difficult position and jeopardize energy supplies to Hungary. He emphasized that any actions that disrupt Hungary’s energy security, such as sanctions or interruptions in transit supplies, would be seen as an attack on the country’s sovereignty. He further noted that Hungary is in talks with Russia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Slovakia to secure its energy supplies. Despite EU efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy, it remains one of the largest importers of Russian fossil fuels.

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