What To Expect From Hungary’s FM Talks With Russia’s Novak On Energy

Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjarto held telephone talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak about gas and oil shipments as well as nuclear co-operation.

In a statement, Szijjarto said Novak had reassured him that despite international sanctions, the Russian party would be able to do maintenance work on the Turkstream pipeline.

“Thus Hungary’s gas supply will continue without any disruptions,” the statement added. Under a 15-year deal signed in 2021, Hungary receives 4.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year from Russia mostly via Bulgaria and Serbia on the Turkstream pipeline. The Turkstream gas pipeline will be stopped for maintenance from June 5 to 12, according to data on the website of Bulgarian gas transmission operator Bulgartransgaz.

Szijjarto reiterated in his statement that Hungary would block any European Union sanctions that would affect nuclear energy. Hungary plans to expand its nuclear power plant in Paks with Russia’s Rosatom building two VVER reactors with capacity of 1.2 gigawatts each in addition to the currently working four reactors.

Szijjarto also said he informed Novak that Hungary was in talks to increase the role of French company Framatome in the expansion of the Paks plant as the German government was blocking the delivery of the control equipment for the new reactors at Paks.