Hungary blocks EU plan to phase out Russian energy – Politico
Photo: European Commissioner for Hungary Olivér Várhelyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Hungarian EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi has blocked the approval of a new EU plan to phase out Russian oil and gas, Politico reports.
According to three sources, Várhelyi, who was nominated by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, raised a procedural objection to the proposal just hours before its expected release on Tuesday, May 6.
One source noted that, given Hungary’s pro-Russian energy stance, Várhelyi’s move was immediately seen as "a political thing".
Politico added that it remains unclear what exactly prompted the objection, especially considering that Várhelyi's EU portfolio focuses on health and animal welfare.
Hungary’s Foreign Ministry and its embassy in Brussels did not respond to a request to confirm whether Várhelyi coordinated the move with Budapest.
EU plan
The European Commission was expected to unveil a detailed strategy on phasing out Russian oil and gas imports on May 6. The release of the plan has already been postponed twice.
EU sources told Reuters that delays in finalizing the strategy were partly due to uncertainty surrounding potential tariffs proposed by US President Donald Trump, as energy trade could become a point of negotiation between the EU and the US.
The plan will include options for reducing imports of Russian energy. According to Bloomberg's sources, the European Commission may recommend the use of trade instruments such as quotas or tariffs.
While sanctions on Russian gas would be the most forceful legal tool to halt imports, the EU has so far refrained from proposing such measures due to the lack of unanimous support, particularly from Hungary and Slovakia. Tariffs, however, could be adopted by a qualified majority vote.
