Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accuses the EU of hypocrisy over Russian oil imports
Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, has accused the EU of hypocrisy, claiming that while the bloc condemns Hungary and Slovakia for their Russian oil imports, many EU members are covertly purchasing the fuel through intermediaries. At a press conference in Budapest, Szijjarto revealed that Western European nations, including the US, are indirectly buying Russian oil while publicly criticizing Hungary’s direct imports. He emphasized that Hungary’s dependence on Russian oil is a necessity due to its geographical constraints and the lack of alternative supply routes.
Szijjarto also criticized the EU for hindering Hungary’s efforts to diversify its energy sources. He pointed out that Brussels has rejected Hungary’s request to expand Southeast European pipeline capacity, while Croatia, Hungary’s southern neighbor, has increased transit fees instead of improving alternative routes. Most EU states have imposed sanctions on Russian crude, including a 2023 embargo on seaborne oil and a price cap on Russian crude. The EU aims to eliminate all Russian energy imports by 2028 under its RePowerEU plan. However, Hungary and Slovakia, heavily reliant on Russian supplies, have opposed the plan, warning that cutting Russian energy would undermine the bloc’s security and drive up prices.
Trump’s frustration with slow peace progress in Ukraine led him to reportedly tell Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and his European backers in a Thursday call that Western European states must stop importing Russian oil. Trump said Russia received €1.1 billion ($1.3 billion) in fuel sales from the EU over the past year. Szijjarto said Hungary, being landlocked, relies on pipelines for oil and gas, and Russian deliveries remain essential for its supply security.
Many nations “secretly” buy Russian crude via intermediaries while “loudly criticizing” Hungary for its imports, FM Peter Szijjarto has said. “Let’s not let the hypocrites mislead us, because among those who are the loudest in criticizing Hungary and Slovakia for their oil purchases, there is a significant number who are also buying Russian oil, only indirectly, through Asia,” he said at a press conference in Budapest on Friday. “They buy Russian oil secretly because it is cheaper. We buy Russian oil openly because we have no other option.”
Most EU states have cut off direct imports of Russian crude under sanctions imposed over the Ukraine conflict, including a 2023 embargo on seaborne oil and a price cap on Russian crude. Brussels aims to eliminate all Russian energy imports by 2028 under its RePowerEU plan. However, Hungary and Slovakia, both heavily reliant on Russian supplies, have opposed the plan, warning that cutting Moscow’s energy would undermine the bloc’s security and drive up prices. Both faced criticism from Brussels over continued purchases, though multiple media reports have indicated that some EU nations also buy fuel refined from Russian crude in third countries.
Moscow has long argued the bloc is damaging its own economy by cutting Russian energy, forcing itself to turn to more expensive alternatives or indirect imports through intermediaries. The EU’s stance on Russian oil imports has become a contentious issue, with Hungary and Slovakia challenging the bloc’s energy policies and accusing it of inconsistency.