Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjárto attended an energy forum in St. Petersburg, despite Russia’s war against Ukraine and Western sanctions on Moscow.
Russian news agencies quoted him as saying he was not afraid of repercussions from the European Union over his visits to Russia.
“Foreign policy is a part of sovereignty and we will not allow anyone to limit this sovereignty,” he is reported to have said.
During his appearance at the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum, he advocated Europe working with Moscow in the oil, gas and nuclear sectors.
The minister said Hungary will import about 5 million tons of oil from Russia this year through the Druzhba pipeline, which carries supplies to Central Europe.
In addition, he said he planned to conclude another agreement with Russian state energy giant Gazprom on gas supplies during the forum. Szijjárto claimed that Hungary’s energy security could only be guaranteed by working with Russia.
During his appearance in St. Petersburg, he told the audience that it was Hungary’s honor that the EU had not imposed sanctions on the supply of gas and nuclear fuels from Russia.
The government of right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán continues to maintain good relations with Moscow, two and a half years after the large-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Russian President Vladimir Putin received Orbán in Moscow in July, angering top EU officials.