Hungary places blame on Ukraine for escalating gas rates in EU
(MENAFN) Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has criticized Ukraine for contributing to the surge in natural gas prices across the European Union, citing "artificially reduced supply." In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Szijjarto blamed the EU sanctions and Ukraine’s decision to stop allowing Russian gas transit through its pipelines to Central Europe. This move, which halts the transit contract between Ukraine and Russia’s gazprom beyond 2024, has resulted in a sharp rise in EU gas prices, reaching €50 per megawatt-hour, a level not seen since October 2023.
Szijjarto emphasized that this price hike has hurt the EU’s economic competitiveness and placed additional burdens on citizens. He criticized Ukraine for undermining the EU economy and breaching its Association Agreement by ceasing transit shipments. According to him, this decision has further exacerbated the region’s energy challenges, with gas prices rising by 20% since mid-December.
Despite the price increase, Hungary has managed to secure its energy needs through investments like the Turkish Stream pipeline, which bypasses Ukraine. Szijjarto highlighted that Hungary’s decision to pursue alternative gas supply routes has been crucial in protecting the country’s energy stability.
The halt in gas deliveries through Ukraine comes after a breakdown in negotiations between Moscow and Kiev over the future of the transit deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of punishing the EU with its decision, which he believes will push energy prices higher, though he suggested that the impact on Russia would be minimal.
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