(MENAFN) Hungary cannot fulfill its energy requirements without Russian oil and gas and has no plans to stop imports, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow. He emphasized that the country’s energy security relies on existing supply routes and long-term agreements with Russian companies.

Brussels has repeatedly urged all EU member states to cut ties with Moscow and halt Russian energy purchases. Szijjarto criticized these calls to diversify imports as “insane” and “completely illogical,” questioning how dropping a key energy source could be considered diversification.

The minister warned that losing access to Russian gas would mean Hungary “will not be able to ensure the necessary fuel supplies,” a concern he said also applies to Russian crude transported via the southern Druzhba pipeline. Other hydrocarbon routes, he added, cannot currently replace volumes delivered through TurkStream and Druzhba.

Szijjarto praised Hungary’s long-standing cooperation with Russian energy firms, noting they have consistently honored contracts. “If we needed more, they provided more; if we needed less, they provided less. Contract terms have always been honored, so why should we suddenly sever these relations?” he asked. He added that this partnership keeps Hungary in a secure energy position.

Despite the EU’s plan to fully phase out Russian energy by 2027, Hungary and several other countries, including Slovakia, continue to rely on Russian crude via Druzhba. Recent Ukrainian attacks on pipeline-linked infrastructure have further strained relations between Kiev and Budapest.

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