Hungary has expanded its regional energy cooperation with Poland and Czechia, which have joined a broader coalition involving Italy and several Central and Southern European countries. The agreement was signed in Zagreb, where energy ministers also discussed access to Black Sea natural gas, supply diversification and Hungary’s planned green energy investments.
Hungary’s Minister of Economy and Energy, István Kapitány, announced the development in a Facebook video on Sunday. According to his statement, the discussions focused on strengthening energy security by giving participating countries access to more supply sources and transport routes.
The expanded cooperation brings two more members of the Visegrád Group (V4) into the initiative. Poland and Czechia join Hungary, Croatia, Romania and Italy in a regional framework intended to improve energy market integration.
One of the key topics was diversifying gas procurement routes. Hungary aims to work more closely with Croatia and Romania to secure access to alternative energy sources, including natural gas extracted in the Black Sea region.
“Our goal is for Hungary to obtain energy from an increasing number of sources, safely and at affordable prices,” Kapitány said.
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Hungary eyes Black Sea gas supplies
During the meeting in Zagreb, Kapitány also held separate talks with Romania’s new energy minister. The two sides reviewed how Hungary could play a more active role in purchasing natural gas produced in the Black Sea and facilitating its transport to the region.
The Black Sea is expected to become an increasingly important source of natural gas for Central and South-Eastern Europe as new production projects are developed. However, access to these supplies also depends on available infrastructure, transport capacity and agreements between the countries involved.
Kapitány described his discussion with his Romanian counterpart as constructive and said the two ministers would continue their talks in Bucharest in two weeks.
The Zagreb meeting also covered Hungary’s major energy development projects, particularly its efforts to expand green energy capacity.
For Hungary, closer cooperation with neighbouring countries could help diversify its energy imports and reduce reliance on individual supply routes. This agreement shows a stronger regional approach, although its practical impact will depend on the projects and supply arrangements that follow.
