Orban: Hungary is in talks with Ukraine about Russian gas deliveries via Hungary

Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, said that Hungary was in talks with Russia, Ukraine and other countries to keep open gas deliveries via Ukraine, even though it imports Russian gas via Turkstream.

The pipeline via Ukraine is one of the main Russian gas routes into Europe. However, it will close at the end this year because Kyiv doesn't want to extend the five-year transit deal that brings gas to Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Orban said in a press briefing: "We're now trying to pull off the trick... what if, by the time the gas enters Ukraine territory, it is no longer Russian, but already owned by the buyers?" "So, the gas entering Ukraine will no longer be Russian but Hungarian."

Orban stated that talks are ongoing, and although it is not clear if the Russian partner or Ukraine will accept this, Hungary will not give up its transit route through Ukraine for gas.

This year, Hungary imported 7.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas through the Turkstream pipeline. Additional amounts were also imported via Romania. Orban stated that the country also produces around 1-1.5 billion cubic meters of gas.

Robert Fico, the Slovakian Prime Minister, warned on Friday of a possible gas crisis as Ukraine refused to extend the transit of gas through its territory because of the war.

(source: Reuters)