Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that he has instructed his government to examine how supplies of Russian gas to Europe, including Hungary, might be completely halted. Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s Foreign Minister, was in Moscow yesterday and met with the Russian president, but according to official briefings, this issue was not discussed.
Putin may cut gas deliveries to Europe
Yet such a decision would strike at the heart of Hungary’s energy supply. In 2025 alone, 7.8 billion cubic metres of Russian pipeline gas arrived via TurkStream, accounting for the lion’s share of Hungary’s consumption.
Putin’s remarks are unlikely to stem from any desire to single out Hungary. More plausibly, they reflect the European Union’s own policies: member states are set to phase out purchases of Russian LNG by early 2027, and piped Russian gas by year’s end. According to Portfolio, Russia supplied 12% of the EU’s total gas imports last year, equivalent to 16.8 billion cubic metres.
Putin claims Russia now faces a crossroads because more promising markets have opened up beyond Europe. Among EU states, France, the Netherlands and Belgium still imported Russian LNG last year (to the value of EUR 157 million, EUR 65 million and EUR 64 million respectively). By contrast, Hungary’s bill stood at EUR 416 million and Slovakia’s at EUR 275 million, Al Jazeera reports.
No energy, no raw materials
The Hungarian press has repeatedly noted that the long-term gas contract tracks prices on the Dutch TTF exchange with a slight lag, offering Budapest no discounts from Moscow. One-off deals may bring concessions, but these remain shrouded in secrecy, treated as trade secrets by both sides, with no documents yet made public.
Over recent years, Hungary’s economic policy has nurtured and expanded energy-intensive industries in a country bereft of significant domestic energy resources. The abrupt end to Russian gas, coupled with scarce or costly alternatives, risks inflicting lasting damage on the Hungarian economy.
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Yes, this will be a self-inflicted problem for Hungary. Given the EU’s planned embargo against Russian gas, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin is considering halting deliveries himself, even before the embargo takes effect.
“Now other markets are opening up (my note: yes, thanks to Trump’s inept behavior). And perhaps it’s more advantageous for us to stop deliveries to the European market immediately,” Putin said in an interview with Russian state television, which was also published by the Kremlin. According to the interview, the president is considering preempting the EU sanctions.
I just wonder why the Hungarian foreign minister was in Russia if he didn’t discuss this. Of course, the two of them discussed it! It wasn’t just about a few publicity-generating images and measures to support Orbán in his election campaign.
The question is, is this the new Hungarian-Russian strategy in the fight against the EU, and has the Hungarian Foreign Minister simply received new Russian orders, or is Putin trying to help Orbán in his election campaign? I assume the latter, because switching gas buyers isn’t so easy.
Russia has been trying for some time to pressure the Chinese to significantly increase their share of Russian gas. But the Chinese are very hesitant; they don’t want to be dependent on one supplier, or even a dominant one, like the EU was in the past. Furthermore, the capacity of the existing pipelines is limited. They can’t be expanded at will.
I think they just want to spread additional panic because of the high prices to support Orbán. So, more words than action!
Perhaps this is also the beginning of the end, and Orban, if he wins the election, is preparing to leave the EU, which I don’t believe. Or perhaps he doesn’t want to adhere to EU agreements and wants to put pressure on the EU with the help of his own people. In that case, however, he would have the problem of how to get gas to Hungary. Even though the EU often acts very leniently, I don’t think they will be accommodating to Hungary.
The war appears to be escalating.
8:18 a.m.: Azerbaijan has activated its air defenses and placed its troops on high alert along the border with Iran. Additional forces are being deployed to the Iranian border.
8:09 a.m.: Kurdish militias in Iraq have announced the start of a military operation against Iran. This was stated by a spokesperson for the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan (CPFIK). Fighters from the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) began positioning themselves and taking up fighting positions on Iranian territory. Ground fighting began around midnight.
As long as a country isn’t independent and self-sufficient, any country it depends on can shut everything down. Let’s face it, everything is interconnected. Without electricity, we can’t do anything; we don’t even have a drop of water. Let’s not pretend Putin can shut everything down; right now, we see Trump doing it, and the consequences are far greater than anyone expected. By “everyone,” I mean the stupid people, not so much the politicians, because they’re all in collusion. All current politicians grew up at the WEF and are proud of it, and this organization, like all media outlets, is controlled by Israel. Besides, your news isn’t very objective either. And I haven’t even mentioned the contradictory reports you constantly publish and the fear-mongering you spread. It’s not really about Hungary; it’s mainly about promoting Budapest.
Your anti-Semitism and conspiracy thinking is showing.