Speaking at the meeting of the Hungarian-Russian Joint Economic Commission, FM Szijjártó said the two countries base their cooperation on “common sense” and national interest. He reiterated that Hungary’s secure energy supply is not possible today without cooperation with Russia, calling it “a physical, not political or ideological” matter. Without this cooperation, he warned, Hungary would be unable to maintain its utility price reduction policy, and energy prices could triple.
“The prime minister has concluded the agreements in Washington and here in Moscow necessary to ensure uninterrupted energy cooperation. But we must fight both Brussels and, unfortunately, Kyiv to keep our energy supply safe in the long term,” he said. He noted that Brussels “continuously attacks our energy cooperation legally,” while “physical attacks” have targeted the oil pipeline from Ukraine.
FM Szijjártó said a new threat emerged in recent weeks, requiring immediate action. “We have therefore decided to relocate the company operating the TurkStream pipeline from the Netherlands to Hungary,” he announced.
Thanks to agreements reached with the United States, he added, the pipeline’s payment transactions will not fall under sanctions, and the relocation will guarantee uninterrupted operation “despite all legal and financial attacks.”
The minister also expressed support for MOL’s investments in Russia, saying the changing ownership landscape in global energy markets presents new opportunities. “Two Hungarian companies are strong enough to sit at the negotiating table in this environment, and we support both in securing successful deals,” he said.
Following the meeting, Minister Szijjártó said Hungary, now in the fourth year of war in its neighborhood, continues to pay a high price for a conflict to which it bears no responsibility, and therefore remains committed to achieving peace as soon as possible.
“We value President Donald Trump’s peace efforts, we support U.S.–Russian talks, and we call on all those who have undermined peace negotiations until now to stop doing so,” he stated. He reiterated that the conflict has no military solution: “The only path is diplomatic settlement, and for that, dialogue channels must remain open.”
He concluded by noting that Hungary has always maintained a relationship with Russia “based on mutual respect,” which is essential for any future peace efforts.