Energy, Moscow-Budapest axis: Orban challenges the EU

Energy Moscow Budapest axis Orban challenges the EU

(Finance) – The Hungarian Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjártó, flew to Moscow today to meet the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, responsible for energy affairs, and the CEO of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, to discuss energy cooperation between Hungary and Russia. The minister communicates it via social media.

“The security of Hungary’s energy supply requires an uninterrupted transport of gas, oil and nuclear fuel. To satisfy these three conditionsi, Hungarian-Russian energy cooperation must be uninterrupted,” wrote Szijjártó.

Novak and Likhachev they are both subjects to sanctions by Ukraine and some of its allies, but not from the EU. Some EU member states have been putting pressure for months for Brussels to place the Russian energy giant under sanctions, as requested on several occasions by Kiev. Budapest, however, has plans to refurbish its Paks nuclear power plant with Rosatom, which has so far remained exempt from EU sanctions.

Budapest and Moscow have signed an agreement on the modification of the contract for the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary. This was announced by the Hungarian foreign minister. The parties have agreed to review the construction and financing contracts. Once the changes to the contract are in place, the minister explained, they will be submitted to the European Commission for approval. “We hope that the Commission does not want to jeopardize the long-term security of Hungary’s energy supplies”, said Szijjártó.

Meanwhile, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov during a briefing, Ukraine is preparing a new attack on the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, an operation similar to the one that led to the sinking of the cruiser Moskva. “We can offer the Russians another surprise at sea, another missile on their ships. We are just waiting for the right moment,” Reznikov announced, stressing that he would not reveal the details of the sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva.

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