Hungarian prime minister calls for EU to suspend sanctions on Russian energy
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has urged the European Union to suspend sanctions on Russian energy imports due to rising energy prices across Europe.
European Commission officials are currently assessing Viktor Orbán’s letter regarding the suspension of sanctions on Russian energy imports amid rising European energy prices.
EU sanctions on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) will come into effect at the end of this year.
Briefing summary
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has urged the European Union to suspend sanctions on Russian energy imports due to rising oil and gas prices across Europe. Oil has exceeded $100 per barrel for the first time since August 2022.
Orbán cited the Ukrainian oil blockade and Middle Eastern conflicts as contributing factors to escalating energy prices. He has communicated his request to EU leaders, although further details of his letter remain undisclosed.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico echoed concerns about the impact of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, highlighting public fears surrounding potential global conflict and energy shortages. The European Commission has yet to respond to these demands.
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Hungary demands EU lift sanctions on Russian energy as prices spike amid Iran war
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called on the European Union to suspend sanctions on Russian energy imports, citing rising energy prices across Europe.
Oil prices have surpassed $100 (€87) per barrel for the first time since August 2022, threatening to push consumer prices higher. Natural gas prices also rose sharply.
The EU imposed sanctions on Russian oil imports in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Hungary and Slovakia received exemptions and continued to import significant volumes of pipeline oil from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Ukrainian territory.
The pipeline was damaged in a Russian drone attack in late January and has not been repaired since.
“The Ukrainian oil blockade and the war in the Middle East are sending oil prices soaring. Europe must act. Today, I wrote to President Costa and Von der Leyen calling for the review and suspension of sanctions on Russian energy,” Orbán wrote in a social media post on Monday.
Further details of the letter have not been disclosed. The Hungarian government also introduced a price cap for petrol and diesel and released state reserves.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico also criticised US and Israeli strikes on Iran as a key driver of the energy price surge.
“People are starting to realise how dangerous it is to have several regional conflicts, and they understand that they can lead to a global war. They fear an uncontrolled increase in energy prices, and many are wondering what will happen if there is a shortage of gas or oil,” Fico said.
The European Commission has not yet responded to the demand.
As things stand, EU sanctions apply only to Russian oil, but Russian LNG will be sanctioned at the end of this year.