Hungarian Foreign Minister claims EU Commission tries to disrupt energy supplies
Photo: Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (Getty Image)
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has expressed concerns that the European Commission allegedly intends to obstruct normal energy supplies to Hungary amid the issue of halted oil transit from Lukoil due to Ukrainian sanctions, according to the Hungarian minister.
Szijjártó criticized the European Union's policy as self-destructive and described the actions of the European Commission as shameful.
He emphasized that Brussels should "defend the basic security interests of its member states against the actions of a candidate."
Szijjártó's remarks pertain to the impact of Ukrainian sanctions on the Russian company Lukoil and the European Commission's statement indicating no grounds for concern regarding the suspension of oil transit through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia.
"The fact that the European Commission has openly declared it won't assist in securing Hungary and Slovakia's energy supply only reinforces the suspicion that Brussels instructed Kyiv to create these challenges," Szijjártó declared.
According to him, the Hungarian government has been "working hard over the past weeks " to secure oil supplies to the country both in the short term and the medium term.
Szijjártó added that Budapest is "close to finalizing a long-term solution that ensures continued oil cooperation with Russia."
"Once the negotiations are complete and the necessary signatures are in place, we will announce it immediately," he said.
What preceded
In July, Hungary and Slovakia announced the suspension of oil supplies from the Russian company Lukoil through Ukraine due to Kyiv's imposition of sanctions on the company. Kyiv insists that the same volume of oil continues to flow through the pipeline, supplied by other Russian companies.
Hungary and Slovakia have asked the European Commission to initiate consultations on a trade agreement with Ukraine.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal stated that Ukraine's sanctions do not violate the EU Association Agreement and that the reactions from the Slovak and Hungarian sides are highly politicized and manipulative.
On August 23, Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis stated that the European Commission sees no reason for concern regarding the suspension of oil transit from Russian Lukoil through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia.
