Hungary's new government labels Russia a threat, risking energy supplies
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Hungary's new government has declared Russia a threat to the country and Europe, prompting a sharp response from Moscow. Russian State Duma Defense Committee member Andrei Kolesnik warned that Budapest's continued new foreign policy could jeopardize Russian oil and gas supplies. The shift follows the April election victory of Prime Minister Peter Magyar's Tisza party over Viktor Orban's government.
Key Facts
- Hungary's new government, led by Prime Minister Peter Magyar's Tisza party, defeated Viktor Orban's government in April.
- Budapest has stated it will move closer to the European Union and NATO and support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Russian State Duma Defense Committee member Andrei Kolesnik said continued new foreign policy by Budapest could halt Russian oil and other energy supplies to Hungary.
- Hungary and Slovakia received an exemption from the 2022 EU sanctions on pipeline oil imports from Russia.
Policy Shift
Hungary's foreign policy shifted after the Tisza party, led by Peter Magyar, defeated Viktor Orban's government in April. Budapest announced it would align closer with the European Union and NATO. The new government stated its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It emphasized that Russia's actions threaten Hungary, Europe, and the international order.
Energy Leverage
Hungary remains one of the EU states importing unprecedented volumes of Russian oil and natural gas. In 2022, Budapest and Bratislava received an exemption from EU sanctions on pipeline oil imports from Russia. Andrei Kolesnik, a member of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee, warned that continued new foreign policy by Budapest could halt Russian oil and other energy supplies to Hungary. The Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed readiness for pragmatic relations with the new leadership, but Kolesnik's statement indicates energy could remain a political pressure tool for Moscow.
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Hungary's new government labels Russia a threat, risking energy supplies
