Financial Times: The French will put an end to the Putin-Orbán nuclear friendship? – UPDATED

Of course, PM Viktor Orbán or Russian President Putin never said they were friends. But, among others, they met each year before the war in Ukraine, and Russians got the Paks nuclear power plant extension project for a lot of money. Furthermore, the Hungarian government keeps talking about the importance of peace, which momentarily means that the Ukrainians should lay down their weapons and accept the Russian invasion. Will the French terminate the good relationship of the two leaders? UPDATE: Read Russian Rosatom’s reaction in the issue below.

Hungary-Russia: a special relationship

PM Orbán and his government condemned the Russian invasion in Ukraine but always highlighted the rightful security claims of Russia and President Putin. They voted for all of the EU sanctions but were able to take off some Russian businessmen and clerics from the EU’s sanctions lists. The Western allies keep talking about the importance of arms deliveries to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Orbán said Hungary would never transport weapons for Kyiv because Budapest does not want to escalate the conflict.

Voices about seceding from the Russian energy deliveries are the strongest in the West, but Hungary keeps buying Russian oil and gas even though the purchase price is very high. However, it seems there are some cracks on the unique Hungarian-Russian relationship.

According to the Financial Times, Hungary started negotiations with France. The aim is to replace the Russians with the French regarding the Paks nuclear power plant extension project, the British paper wrote.

Read also: Hungary might operate small nuclear reactor with American technology

Orbán will kick out the Russians for the French?

Viktor Orbán met Emmanuel Macron last week in Paris, and they discussed a nuclear cooperation and the state of the extension project. High ranking government officials told FT that the Hungarian government started to rethink the project, which costs EUR 12 billion, financed from a Russian loan. Furthermore, the partners are Russia and the country’s Rosatom, 24.hu wrote.

Here are some photos about Orbán’s visit in Paris where he met with incumbent President Marcon and President Sarkozy. In the post, he wrote that Huns are in Paris:

A subcontractor of the Russian nuclear giant in Hungary is the French reactor manufacturing company, Framatome, which will deliver the new plant’s control system in cooperation with the German Siemens. Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s minister for foreign affairs and trade, announced that the cabinet would like to increase the role of the French company in the project.

Read also: Hungary might operate small nuclear reactor with American technology

Balázs Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister’s political director, said there was an ongoing debate concerning the reimagination of the Paks extension project because the situation became more complicated after the war started. Interestingly, Hungary and France vetoed together the EU’s direct sanctions against the Rosatom. But Financial Times says the pressure is growing in that respect.

The political director added that changing the original plans would push the project back by years. However, experts believe the longer the war and the sanctions last, the more probable the Russian participation’s end becomes. However, it is not clear yet whether that means a new partner or a new plant.

A French official highlighted both sides are open for a closer cooperation. But nobody knows how that intention would materialise.

UPDATE: Russian Rosatom reacted (03.26.)

Lóránt Kóti, the communications leader of the Rosatom in Hungary, sent a statement on the issue to Portfólió. He wrote that the Russian company is ready to work on the project and hopes their cooperation with the Hungarian partners can continue.