EC president’s threat: Hungary breaches sanctions if it pays for gas in rubles
Viktor Orbán said earlier this week that it is not a problem for us to pay for gas in roubles. However, the European Commission’s president said that that would be in breach of EU sanctions against Russia.
If Hungary were to pay for Russian natural gas in rubles, it would violate European Union sanctions against Russia, said Ursula von der Leyen, according to CNN. Russia charges countries it considers unfriendly in roubles for natural gas. This includes all EU countries. The Hungarian PM thinks this is not a problem for Hungary.
According to Telex.hu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said that Russia’s demand for ruble payments concerns the contract between Gazprom and MVM’s subsidiaries and that the parties are in talks and will only present the details afterwards.
According to him,
the EU has nothing to do with the agreement concluded by the two parties, and the Hungarian government does not support the EU’s position on gas imports.
As we can read in hvg.hu’s article, the next time Hungary will have to pay Russia will be at the end of May.
Hungary opposes the extension of sanctions to Russian fossil fuels and nuclear energy. In practice, however, on Thursday, the Fidesz group in the European Parliament approved a decision on this issue.
The President of the European Commission was interviewed by Christiane Amanpour on Friday.
“We did an analysis of the decree of Putin, and the legal case is very clear. What Putin is suggesting – this transforming euros into rubles and then paying the gas bill — it would be a breach of sanctions. If you do that, pay in rubles, you breach the sanctions, you circumvent the sanctions we put on Russia.”
As we can read in the CNN article, the EU held discussions with Budapest.
“So far, Hungary has stuck to the sanctions, so as long as we don’t see the opposite, it’s fine. Never before have we seen the European Union so united, so determined, so fast. And I think for each of our member states, also a question, do I want to be the first one to break that unity? I think no,”
said Von der Leyen.
However, Minister of State Zoltán Kovács said that Hungary stands by the decisions of the EU and NATO one hundred per cent, including in seeking peace. He said that paying in roubles does not mean circumventing international policy on sanctions.
Hungary will not send weapons and soldiers to Ukraine, this is a mandate given to the government by the Hungarian people, Zoltán Kovács, State Secretary for International Communications and Relations, stressed in an interview with CNN on Friday, according to szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu.
Read alsoCould this be Putin’s plan? Does Hungary side with Russia?
Source: Telex.hu, hvg.hu, CNN
please make a donation here
Hot news
3 Quintessential Hungarian Christmas recipes for the festive table
Hungarian universities defend autonomy, condemn EU decision on Erasmus+ exclusion
Be prepared: Traffic at Budapest Airport to be brutal at Christmas
National Bank of Hungary reports losses but maintains stability amid inflation challenges
Hungary faces point of no return under Orbán, says Polish minister – from experience
Will Budapest approve a budget for 2025? Assembly divided, accusations of chaos and mismanagement
8 Comments
Hungary – under the Fidesz Party led by the Prime Minister ofHungary – Victor Orban, will PAY the HEAVY price RIGHTFULLY – if they again “Rock the Boat” and goes outside European Union Laws of Sanctions by paying Its FRIENDS being Russia in Rubles.
Victor Orban continues to DAMAGE the brand name Hungary in the European Union.
The damaged name – the reputation of Hungary, that over the past (4) four years been under a MASSIVE global microscope – we AGAIN, are witnessing the on-going widening or separation of Hungary as a valid and respected member of the European Union.
Victor Orban – continues to FAIL or convince the European Union, Great Britain and the United States of America – what side, through his WEDGED position that he Fidesz have place Hungary, with the deepness of relationships with Russia and China – what side Victor Orban support in this war, mounted and commenced by Russia against the Ukraine – what side do Hungary support ?
This inability by Hungary – its avoidance to answer with CONVICTION this pivotal question – is mounting in pressure on Hungary and will be to our detriment, strangulating deeper our economy and Reputation.
Hungary – under the on-going agenda it has – its non conforming attitude to the European Union, NATO – is nearing a stage of Explusion discussions growing in momentum within the European Union Membership.
Poland prior to the outbreak of the Russian War on the Ukraine – seen as the “other” half of the partners in crime – challenging “rocking the boat” in the European Union – do appear to have “seen the light” – and commenced dialogue of support to the European Union and the Laws of Sanctions.
Victor Orban / Fidesz has placed Hungary on somewhat a Desert Island – that the growing hunger of those surrounding this smallish island – will engulf, or ensure they are Scared, Battered and not able to SURVIVE.
It must be remembered, those in the population of Hungary being 9.6 million – those who voted back into office, to Govern and led Hungary over the course of the next (4) four years – citizens who voted Fidesz first – you take Responsibility and Ownership – for what the darkening trends that are occuring in Hungary are being exposed to.
Hungary is already paying a heavy price for its sovereignty. If the EU and US had not supplied weapons to Ukraine, the war had long been over. If the US would not have forced Zelensky to apply for NATO membership, there would not have been war.
Presently, there is no advantage for Hungary to stay in the EU. Hungary should establish closer relation with China because China is a huge market. The same applies to India. Hungary should abandon all EU and US trade. Many countries have survived without EU membership or US uneven trade agreements.
Sovereignty should never be ceded to foreign dictatorships, especially dictatorships that are manipulated by globalist.
Concerned – Troubled, Orbán will pay the price if he goes against the corrupt mafia in brussels.
The invasion of Ukraine was expected, and wished for by the powers if the west, and it has nothing to do with Hungary.
EUSSR will punish those who doesn’t obey, like all mafias do.
Most people follow the mainstream narrative though and wouldn’t have a clue about how things REALLY are.
First of all, who is “Concerned – Troubled”? Hiding his/her/its identity is not making him/her/it credible. Wants to know “what side do Hungary support.” I don’t know where this person lives failing to see that the overwhelming majority of Hungarians are on Hungary’s side. Understandably the present and future government of Hungary is winning election after election because it draws the line for those who intend to drag the country into conflicts of not Hungary’s making. Anyway thank you very much for attacking Viktor Orbán and Hungarians in general. The more hysterical the attacks, the more we know Orbán’s government does the right thing. Viktor Orbán’s landslide victories time and time again constitute evidence that he is for the people, as opposed to foreign vested interests. I know how you must feel, being a bad loser election after election. Get over it, if you can.
Time for the EU to get rid of Orbánistan, a dead weight which is costing EU taxpayers a lot of money and on top of it it is posing a real threat to the Union. Orbán is Putin’s Trojan horse in Europe, kick him out.
Well Mario is back from his cubicle in Langley Virginia in the US CIA headquarters. Mario, get a life. Everyone knows you are not a Hungarian, do not reside in Hungary and have never even visited Hungary.
Who cares what anyone thinks about Hungary not following the dictates of Brussels and the Soro’s lap dogs? The enemy of every Hungarian and all mankind is the US Government, NATO and the European Unions unelected bureaucrats. Time for Hungary to withdraw from the EU and NATO and declare its neutrality. Time for everyone to know the truth that America caused the war in Ukraine due to overthrowing the Ukrainian Government back in 2014 and installing a puppet regime. Ukraine is a very corrupt country politically and the Biden family will suffer greatly if their criminality in the Ukraine were known by the entire planets people. The US agenda was to provoke a conflict with Russia.
Once again a pro China, pro Russia comment (rant?) from someone is Canada (marievontherese). I can’t for the life of me understand why that person doesn’t simply move to China or Russia rather than live in a democracy.
@Juhasz Peter, your style of writing is unmistakable. Irrespective of the name you use, this unhealthy obsession with Hunter Biden will make you ill and continue to bore others.