Hungary warns it could halt electricity to Ukraine: Why it matters
Viktor Orbán’s government threatens Ukraine again while defending Russia’s interests (Photo: Getty Images)
The Hungarian government has announced the possibility of stopping electricity exports to Ukraine if Russian gas and oil supplies to the EU are blocked.
For an analysis of the potential consequences of such a decision for Ukraine and whether Budapest might actually follow through, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
Hungary’s government threatening to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine if Russian energy deliveries to the EU are blocked violates European Union regulations and would cause financial losses for Hungarian companies; however, the possibility of such a scenario remains.
According to Daria Orlova, an analyst at ExPro Consulting, a unilateral halt of electricity supplies to Ukraine by Hungary is unlikely.
“In my opinion, a complete halt of electricity supplies from Hungary is unlikely because they must abide by European rules and the principles of the European energy market,” she said, adding that if supplies do stop, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and the Energy Community Secretariat would need to intervene.
How much does Budapest earn from selling electricity to Kyiv
Ukraine buys electricity from Hungary at market prices. Most of the imports occur during daytime and evening hours when demand and prices are highest.
According to Daria Orlova, electricity import prices from Hungary in winter ranged between €170-200 per megawatt-hour, while in spring and summer they were between €120-140 per megawatt-hour. Hungarian energy companies earned tens of millions of euros.
“For the first five months of 2025, Ukraine imported electricity from Hungary worth €54 million,” the analyst said, adding that, for example, the cost of imports was €16 million in February and €9 million in May.
How much electricity does Ukraine buy from Hungary
Currently, the cross-border transmission capacity for importing electricity from Hungary to Ukraine is 600 MW per hour, while the capacity for exporting electricity from Ukraine to Hungary is 300 MW.
"Hungary remains a leader both in electricity imports to Ukraine and in exports from Ukraine. In the first half of June, 44% of imported electricity into Ukraine came from Hungary. In the structure of exports, Hungary accounts for 58%," commented Daria Orlova.
Consequences of a possible halt in electricity supplies from Budapest
The analyst explained that stopping electricity imports from Hungary would not be critically problematic during the summer months. “However, in winter (when energy consumption is higher), there could be issues with securing additional resources,” said Daria Orlova.
She added that, in theory, the volume of electricity imported from Hungary in winter could be replaced from other directions, as the cross-border transmission lines with other countries are currently not used to their full capacity.
“But then there may be challenges ensuring sufficient resources, for example, from Poland and Romania,” the spokesperson added.
On June 13, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, stated that Hungary and Slovakia would oppose the EU’s decision to gradually stop purchasing gas, oil, and nuclear fuel from Russia by early 2028. He added that such a decision would lead to higher energy prices for Central European countries.
