Orban calls on the EU to ease sanctions against Russia, citing economic concerns as the reason.

The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, has urged the European Union to reconsider sanctions against Russia. He believes that easing restrictions would reduce energy costs. Hungary is dependent on Russian oil.

This was reported by Reuters. The Hungarian Prime Minister aims to achieve lower energy prices.

"Energy prices must be reduced by any means necessary. This means that sanctions need to be reviewed, as under the current sanctions policy, energy prices will not decrease," Orbán stated.

His statement came after EU leaders signed a declaration on competitiveness during their informal summit last week. In an interview with Hungarian public radio, Orbán explained that American companies pay a quarter of what their European counterparts spend on gas and electricity. This discrepancy cannot be resolved in any other way than by reviewing the sanctions.

Reuters emphasizes that Western European countries have made significant efforts to reduce their reliance on Russian oil and gas. Meanwhile, Hungary, which is landlocked, still receives about 80% of its gas and crude oil from Russia.

Ukraine Allowed the Transit of Russian Oil to Hungary

In July 2024, Ukraine expanded sanctions against the Russian corporation "Lukoil". As a result, companies were prohibited from transporting oil through its territory to Hungary and Slovakia.

However, in September of this year, Bloomberg reported that oil transit to Hungary would continue. The Hungarian energy company Mol Nyrt. reached an agreement that will ensure the continuation of Russian oil supplies through a pipeline that runs through Ukraine.