Turkey will continue to allow Russian oil to flow to Hungary, despite protests from European powers, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced Monday.
Following a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, Mr. Orban confirmed that the billions of cubic meters of Russian gas being imported into Hungary through Turkish pipelines will continue to flow.
“Today I agreed with the president that you, Turkey, will guarantee the route so that we can transport gas from Russia to Hungary,” Mr. Orban said in a press conference broadcast by the state media outlet M1.
Mr. Orban also insisted that the meeting would bolster ties between Ankara and Budapest, with Turkey emerging as a pivotal partner on illegal immigration.
“Our partnership is built on results. We are strengthening trade between our nations, holding the line against migration, securing the TurkStream, and standing together for peace while others choose escalation. Hungary and Türkiye move forward together!” Mr. Orban wrote on X.
Hungary has relied on the continuous flow of Russian gas and oil since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, despite calls for a total embargo by NATO and other Kyiv supporters. Hungary has repeatedly insisted that it is geographically impractical and politically untenable to stop importing Russian gas.
Approximately 74% of Hungary’s gas came from Russia in 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Since Hungary is a landlocked nation, it relies mostly on large pipelines to receive foreign oil and gas.
Hungary does not share a border with Turkey, but the TurkStream pipeline connects Hungary and other Balkan countries, including Serbia and Bulgaria, to Turkish supplies.
Mr. Orban, pleading his case to President Trump early last month, received a one-year exemption on U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and gas, a major win for Hungary as Washington looks to broker a lasting peace in Eastern Europe.
Still, the European Union has pushed for a ban on Russian gas and oil imports by next year in a bid to pressure Russia further.
Hungary is in the midst of a 15-year gas deal with Russia, which requires Budapest to purchase 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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