The EU has no role in Hungary’s Russian gas deal with Gazprom, and Budapest is working to find a way to pay for the fuel, the foreign minister said.
Russia has asked its international clients, those it considers “unfriendly countries”, to pay in rubles for gas, a plan that has been harshly criticized by European capitals.
Hungary is one of the few EU member states that has rejected energy sanctions against Moscow in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Kremlin said last week that foreign buyers of Russian gas would have to open ruble accounts with state-owned Gazprombank from last Friday, otherwise they risk being cut off from supply.
With just a few weeks to go before the bills are paid, governments in Europe are discussing Russia’s request with energy companies.
The Commission has stated that those who have contracts that require payment in euros or dollars should stick to it.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stressed that the gas supply is based on a bilateral agreement between subsidiaries of the Hungarian state-owned MVM and Gazprom, and that they are working on a payment solution expected in May.
The EU “has no role” in the convention, he added.
Asked if Hungary could pay in rubles for Russian gas imports, Szijjarto told reporters:
“Our first payment obligation is at the end of May. The technical solution is there to allow us to pay for the gas we have used, and the technical details for this solution are being processed.”
He did not give further details.
Source: Capital
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