Hungary will be ready to abandon natural gas supply from Russia in line with the European Union’s decision, according to Energy and Economy Minister István Kapitány.
The European Union has set a target to end imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by January 1, 2027, and to terminate all contracts for Russian gas imports, both via pipelines and through other routes, by November 1, 2027.
The previous government, led by Viktor Orbán, was against the EU’s decision. It claimed that proposed measures to phase out Russian gas imports would “destroy” Hungary’s security of supply. The country’s new prime minister is Péter Magyar.
Hungary’s heavy reliance on Russian gas was due to economic factors rather than technical limitations
Energy and Economy Minister István Kapitány explained in an interview for Telex that Hungary’s high reliance on Russian natural gas, which previously accounted for 75% to 80% of its total imports, was driven by economic factors rather than technical limitations.
The country’s pipeline infrastructure allows for imports from multiple geographical directions. However, sourcing decisions have been tied to TTF pricing, under which Russian gas has consistently proven to be the most economical and cost-effective option, he stressed.
The minister declined to disclose specific figures regarding the reduction of Russian gas imports over the past five months. He confirmed that at present, Russia remains Hungary’s primary and most economically efficient supplier.
Hungary’s natural gas supply will be fully secured through alternative, non-Russian sources
Hungary is prepared to comply with EU rules and deadlines for phasing out Russian gas supplies, he pointed out.
If things progress as currently expected, Hungary will meet the EU’s target deadline of next October to phase out Russian gas, Kapitány added.
The minister insists that Hungary will secure its gas supplies in full from alternative, non-Russian sources ahead of the deadline, by leveraging the country’s existing interconnectors and diversification strategies.
Two solutions
To ensure long-term supply stability and affordability without Russian imports, Hungary is pursuing two main solutions, he said.
The Neptun Deep Project, an offshore gas field in Romania, represents a highly cost-effective future alternative, according to him. Negotiations are already underway with both the project developer and the Romanian political leadership, he added.
Hungary also plans to capitalize on the upcoming global LNG boom by securing transportation and import capacities well in advance.
State energy company MVM is taking concrete steps and entering into forward contracts with international energy firms for future deliveries, according to Kapitány.
BiH, Hungary, and Serbia receive natural gas from Russia via the Balkan Stream
Hungary receives natural gas from Russia via the Balkan Stream. The pipeline is an extension of TurkStream, which passes through Bulgaria and Serbia. TurkStream delivers gas from Russia across the Black Sea to Turkey.
In October 2025, when the ban on Russian gas was proposed, the European Commission said it did not apply to the transit of Russian gas, so it would not affect supplies to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Energy Community Secretariat stressed that the situation with Europe’s decision was a legal grey area from the Energy Community’s point of view.
