Hungary's Orban calls on EU to lift Russian energy ban amid US/Iran conflict

Hungarian Prime Minster Viktor Orban urged on Sunday the European Union not to impose a ban on Russian Energy due to the expected increase in energy prices after the US bombings of Iran.

The European Commission proposed on Tuesday a legally-binding ban on EU imports from Russia of gas and liquefied gas by 2027. Legal measures were used to ensure that EU members Hungary, and Slovakia could not block the plan.

The proposals outline how the EU plans to put into law its pledge to end decades-old relations with Europe's former number one gas supplier following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Orban, in a video posted on Facebook after a discussion of the potential security and economic consequences of the Iran-Israeli conflict with his Defence Council, said: "We have to contend with an increase in energy prices."

"This is a grave threat." "We must therefore remove the restrictions and bans in Brussels on Russian energy," said he. We have enough problems with the negative impact the Iran-Israel War has had on energy prices.

On Sunday morning, Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke by phone with the foreign ministers from Israel, Russia and Bahrain to discuss the Middle East Crisis.

Slovakia and Hungary are still receiving Russian gas and oil, and they have been in dispute with Ukraine about its decision to stop gas flowing from the east to its territory by the end of 2024.

Due to the opposition of Slovakia and Hungary who maintain close ties with Moscow, the EU has imposed sanctions against most Russian oil imports.

Analysts say that the rising oil prices in central Europe, where imports are heavily dependent, could increase inflationary pressures. (Reporting and editing by Giles Elgood; reporting by Gergely szakacs)

(source: Reuters)