EU restrictions are not working, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said earlier this week. Hungary will not continue to support Brussels’ sanctions against Moscow if they involve measures against Russia’s energy sector, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview with RIA Novosti published on 29 October.
According to Peter Szijjarto, restrictions are against Hungary’s national interests and the red line applies to energy, gas, oil, nuclear power and any other aspect that could harm Hungary’s economy, he said.
“The sanctions policy is simply not working. The sanctions can hurt Russia… but they definitely cause more damage to the European economy, and to the European countries. And if sanctions cause more damage to those who impose them than to those they target, what is the point of continuing them?”
Russia has been steadily supplying Hungary with natural gas under a 15-year contract with Russian state energy company Gazprom. He added that Budapest expects to continue buying Russian gas even if Ukraine, through which it receives the fuel, decides not to extend its transit agreement with Russia.
Viktor Orban bets on a peace strategy
Hungary is following a #peace strategy. We will do everything in order to make peace. My meeting with the President of Russia served this purpose. pic.twitter.com/z9YgCe0FDK
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) October 27, 2023
Sources
- RT: “No point in further sanctions against Russia – Hungary”
- Victor Orban: We have a peace strategy