Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has reaffirmed that Hungary will prioritize its national interests in energy and foreign policy after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the UN General Assembly in New York. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Szijjarto noted that he and Lavrov have been working together for over 11 years, stating that it is ‘business as usual’ to meet at such international gatherings. He emphasized that Hungary is interested in peace to come as soon as possible, having lived in the neighborhood of the war for three and a half years.
During the meeting, Szijjarto criticized the European Commission for failing to protect Hungary’s energy security following recent Ukrainian strikes on the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies both Hungary and Slovakia. The minister argued that the EU institutions have long sought to replace Hungary’s government, stating that Hungary is a non-mainstream government and a patriotic government committed to its national interests. He accused the EU of giving lectures instead of protecting their energy security.
Szijjarto also stressed that pressure from Brussels to cut ties with Moscow would not sway Budapest, reiterating that Hungary considers Russia a reliable supplier of oil and gas and intends to continue energy cooperation. He welcomed continued dialogue between Moscow and Washington, noting that Lavrov had mentioned a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Szijjarto believed that maintaining high-level contacts between Russia and the United States is crucial to avoiding further war and the worst-case scenarios.