Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday called on the European Union (EU) to remove a proposed ban on Russian energy from its agenda, due to the expected rise in energy prices following the US bombing of Iran, Reuters reports.
The European Commission (EC) on Tuesday proposed a legally binding ban on imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas into the EU by the end of 2027, using legal measures to ensure that the plan cannot be blocked by EU members Hungary and Slovakia.
The proposals outline how the bloc plans to legally enshrine its obligation to end decades-long energy relations with Europe's former largest gas supplier after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
"We have to deal with further increases in energy prices," Orban said in a Facebook video after a meeting of his Defense Council that discussed the possible security and economic implications of the Iran-Israel conflict.
"This is a serious threat. Therefore, we must remove the regulations and bans on Russian energy in Brussels. We have enough problems given the negative impact of the Iran-Israel war on energy prices," Orban said.
Earlier today, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó held telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of Israel, Russia, Bahrain and Jordan to discuss the crisis in the Middle East.
Slovakia and Hungary continue to receive Russian gas and oil and are at odds with Ukraine over its decision to halt the flow of gas from the east through its territory at the end of 2024.
The EU has imposed sanctions on most Russian oil imports, but not on gas, due to opposition from Slovakia and Hungary, which maintain closer ties with Moscow.
Analysts said higher oil prices, which have risen since Israel began strikes on Iran a week ago, could increase inflationary pressures in the import-dependent Central European region.
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