A Russian State Duma member has warned that Moscow could suspend oil and gas supplies to Hungary after the country’s new government formally described Russia as a security threat. The warning comes as Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s administration pursues a major foreign policy shift away from the close Budapest-Moscow relationship maintained under former PM Viktor Orbán.
Russia threatens Hungary’s energy supplies
Andrey Kolesnik, a member of the Russian State Duma’s Defence Committee and a member of President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party, said Russian energy deliveries to Hungary could now be called into question. Speaking to Russian outlet Gazeta.ru, Kolesnik suggested that Moscow could stop supplying Hungary with oil and gas following Budapest’s decision to classify Russia as a threat.
“I think that after such statements, oil supplies to Hungary and energy supplies from Russia to Hungary are in question,” he said.
Kolesnik also claimed that Hungary had adopted the new position under pressure from Brussels, arguing that the country could ultimately be the first to abandon Russian energy imports as it aligns itself more closely with EU policy towards Moscow. His comments do not amount to an official announcement from the Russian government that supplies will be halted.
Hungary formally labels Russia a security threat
The warning follows the publication of a document outlining Hungary’s position ahead of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. In the document, the new Hungarian government condemns Russia’s military aggression and expresses full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, Budapest calls for negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace and security guarantees.
Crucially, the document states that Russia’s behaviour represents a threat to Hungary, Europe and the global order, while also posing a threat to the Hungarian minority living in Transcarpathia. The statement represents a significant departure from the foreign-policy approach of the previous government.
Read more here: Fundamental changes in Hungary’s foreign policy reflected in new UN guidelines
Major foreign policy shift under Péter Magyar
Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party defeated Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz government in April’s parliamentary election. Since taking office, Magyar has pledged to strengthen Hungary’s ties with the European Union and NATO while moving away from the close relationship with the Kremlin that characterised much of the Orbán era.
Under Orbán, Hungary repeatedly opposed or blocked EU statements and sanctions targeting Russia. The former prime minister also argued that Moscow did not pose a direct threat to Hungary, pointing to NATO’s military strength and Hungary’s membership of the alliance.
Russia’s intelligence services previously criticised Magyar in an unusual written statement, portraying him as an instrument of the EU and echoing narratives promoted by Fidesz. Since the change of government in Budapest, however, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said it remains prepared to maintain pragmatic relations with Hungary’s new leadership.
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Hungary still heavily dependent on Russian energy
This warning is particularly significant because Hungary is one of the EU member states most dependent on Russian energy. Budapest continues to import substantial quantities of Russian crude oil and natural gas through pipeline infrastructure dating back to the Soviet era. Alongside Slovakia, Hungary received an exemption from EU and US restrictions on Russian pipeline oil imports introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Any major disruption to these supplies could therefore have significant consequences for Hungary’s energy security.
