Hungary Prepares Legal Challenge Against EU Plan To Phase Out Russian Energy

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s government under longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is preparing a legal challenge against the European Union’s decision to accelerate the phase-out of Russian oil and natural gas imports, the country’s foreign minister has confirmed.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó argues that Hungary, as a landlocked country, “cannot be forced” to halt energy supplies from Russia, calling the EU measure “extremely harmful” and “dangerous” to Hungary’s energy security.

“Hungary is in a very dangerous, vulnerable situation with the Russian gas and oil being phased out,” Szijjártó said of the EU plan. “This is an extremely harmful decision,” he told Bloomberg News agency on Thursday.

Hungary has continued importing large amounts of Russian energy despite repeated criticism from EU officials and opposition leaders. Orbán’s government insists that cutting supplies too quickly would threaten affordable energy prices in a country with some of the lowest household energy costs per capita in the European Union.

HUNGARY DEFENDS ENERGY SECURITY AND LOW PRICES

Last year, Orbán reportedly received assurances from U.S. President Donald J. Trump, a close political ally, that Hungary would not face American sanctions over continued Russian energy imports.

The move is expected to escalate tensions between Budapest and Brussels further as Orbán faces increasing pressure ahead of Hungary’s April 12 parliamentary elections.

Opposition is also mounting domestically, with the poll-leading Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, turning Orbán’s long-standing energy ties with Moscow into a central campaign issue.

The European Union aims to fully end dependence on Russian energy following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

SUBSIDIZING RUSSIAN ENERGY DELIVERIES CONTINUES

Brussels also wants Budapest to stop subsidizing Russian energy deliveries. Yet Hungary’s government announced Friday it would help households cope with rising winter heating costs, unveiling a 50 billion forint ($157 million) subsidy scheme as the country heads toward parliamentary elections in April.

Under the plan, the state will partly reimburse heating expenses, offering households a 30 percent discount on winter energy bills to deal with the cold, officials said. The move comes amid continued inflation pressures and public concern over living costs

Prime Minister Orbán’s government says the measure is designed to protect families from high energy prices, while critics argue it also reflects pre-election spending as Orbán faces his strongest opposition challenge in years.

Hungary remains one of the most outspoken pro-Russian voices within the 27-nation bloc, while Orbán’s government continues to criticize Western military and financial support for Kyiv.

HUNGARY OPPOSES EU MEMBERSHIP FOR UKRAINE

Orbán has also opposed Ukraine’s future membership in the EU.

Yet Hungarian officials have suggested Budapest could serve as a possible venue for future peace talks involving the presidents of the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.

Orbán has also recently joined Trump’s controversial “Board of Peace” initiative, which aims to guide future peace processes but has been viewed by EU officials as an attempt to bypass the United Nations.

Regarding a possible financial contribution from new members—Trump mentioned $1 billion—Szijjártó insisted Hungary has no such obligations and that payment “is not on the agenda.”

Latest Worthy News