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Hungarian opposition leader: Can't give up energy imports from Russia quickly

2025-10-14 14:42:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hungarian opposition leader: Can't give up energy imports from Russia

Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar said there would be no quick move away from Russian fossil fuel imports if he wins parliamentary elections expected to be held in the spring.

This issue is crucial in efforts to choke off the revenue Russia uses to finance its invasion of Ukraine, as the European Union and the United States have called on countries to reduce their imports.

"We don't want to remove [Russian energy resources] tomorrow, but by 2035," Magyar said in an interview with Radio Free Europe's Hungarian Service.

"This does not mean that we will not buy [from Russia], but it means that we will find the cheapest and most secure sources. If there is an energy crisis, we should have multiple procurement methods" to meet Hungary's energy needs.

Magyar's stance is significant, as his party, Tisza, is leading in opinion polls over Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party. Some polls suggest Tisza has a 20-point lead. Orban has warned that Hungary will face "chaos and poverty" if Magyar wins the election.

Hungary currently imports around 95 percent of its natural gas supplies from Russia, while during the first half of 2025, around 92 percent of the country's oil imports came from Russia.

Orban, who has maintained close relations with Moscow, has strongly defended these agreements, arguing that they are in Hungary's national interest.

The EU has set a goal of phasing out Russian energy imports by 2027 – much sooner than Magyar predicted.

The EU plan is expected to be implemented through EU internal market rules, meaning the decision cannot be blocked by Hungary or Slovakia, which is also dependent on Russian supplies.

US President Donald Trump, who supports Orban, has threatened to impose secondary tariffs on countries importing Russian oil and said that the 25 percent tariff that Washington imposed on India is an example that should be applied everywhere.

The American leader has also called on European countries to act together and stop buying Russian oil./ Rel