Hungary Boasts Of Signing New Russian Gas Deal With Vladimir Putin

Several European governments, including Germany, have vowed to wean themselves off their dependence on Russian gas. Many are consuming energy in case the Kremlin shuts off the taps in retaliation for Western sanctions. “Hungary’s energy supply is secure,” Zoltan Kovacs, a cabinet minister and international spokesman for Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, said after the deal was signed with state-owned Gazprom. Mr Orban had previously angered Kyiv after blocking an EU embargo on Russian oil until he secured his country’s removal from sanctions aimed at cutting capital to Putin’s war machine. Hungary is about 85% dependent on Russian gas. The new contract will bring up to 5.8 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to Hungary from September, on top of a 15-year deal signed last year for 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.

The EU does not agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists

Budapest has steadfastly opposed EU gas sanctions, which require unanimous support from all 27 member states. It also refused Western governments permission to transport weapons to Ukraine through its territory. In the latest sign of EU division over Russia, the bloc’s foreign ministers failed to agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists called for by some member states at a meeting in Prague. Ministers agreed to make it harder and more expensive for Russian tourists to enter the bloc by suspending the 2007 visa facilitation deal. Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister, said Budapest opposed the Russian visa ban, which would need unanimity to pass. Germany and France had also argued against a blanket ban, warning it could alienate future generations of Russians who did not deserve to be punished for Putin’s crimes. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland, all of which have land borders with Russia, supported the move. The five countries said suspending the EU’s visa facilitation deal with Moscow was a “necessary first step”. But they warned more needed to be done to “drastically limit” the numbers and said they could introduce their own national measures. “This has become a security risk for these neighboring states,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief. “Furthermore, we have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine.”

title: “Hungary Boasts Of Signing New Russian Gas Deal With Vladimir Putin Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-26” author: “Ann Jean”

Several European governments, including Germany, have vowed to wean themselves off their dependence on Russian gas. Many are consuming energy in case the Kremlin shuts off the taps in retaliation for Western sanctions. “Hungary’s energy supply is secure,” Zoltan Kovacs, a cabinet minister and international spokesman for Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, said after the deal was signed with state-owned Gazprom. Mr Orban had previously angered Kyiv after blocking an EU embargo on Russian oil until he secured his country’s removal from sanctions aimed at cutting capital to Putin’s war machine. Hungary is about 85% dependent on Russian gas. The new contract will bring up to 5.8 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to Hungary from September, on top of a 15-year deal signed last year for 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.

The EU does not agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists

Budapest has steadfastly opposed EU gas sanctions, which require unanimous support from all 27 member states. It also refused Western governments permission to transport weapons to Ukraine through its territory. In the latest sign of EU division over Russia, the bloc’s foreign ministers failed to agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists called for by some member states at a meeting in Prague. Ministers agreed to make it harder and more expensive for Russian tourists to enter the bloc by suspending the 2007 visa facilitation deal. Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister, said Budapest opposed the Russian visa ban, which would need unanimity to pass. Germany and France had also argued against a blanket ban, warning it could alienate future generations of Russians who did not deserve to be punished for Putin’s crimes. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland, all of which have land borders with Russia, supported the move. The five countries said suspending the EU’s visa facilitation deal with Moscow was a “necessary first step”. But they warned more needed to be done to “drastically limit” the numbers and said they could introduce their own national measures. “This has become a security risk for these neighboring states,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief. “Furthermore, we have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine.”

title: “Hungary Boasts Of Signing New Russian Gas Deal With Vladimir Putin Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-05” author: “Michael Miosky”

Several European governments, including Germany, have vowed to wean themselves off their dependence on Russian gas. Many are consuming energy in case the Kremlin shuts off the taps in retaliation for Western sanctions. “Hungary’s energy supply is secure,” Zoltan Kovacs, a cabinet minister and international spokesman for Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, said after the deal was signed with state-owned Gazprom. Mr Orban had previously angered Kyiv after blocking an EU embargo on Russian oil until he secured his country’s removal from sanctions aimed at cutting capital to Putin’s war machine. Hungary is about 85% dependent on Russian gas. The new contract will bring up to 5.8 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to Hungary from September, on top of a 15-year deal signed last year for 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.

The EU does not agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists

Budapest has steadfastly opposed EU gas sanctions, which require unanimous support from all 27 member states. It also refused Western governments permission to transport weapons to Ukraine through its territory. In the latest sign of EU division over Russia, the bloc’s foreign ministers failed to agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists called for by some member states at a meeting in Prague. Ministers agreed to make it harder and more expensive for Russian tourists to enter the bloc by suspending the 2007 visa facilitation deal. Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister, said Budapest opposed the Russian visa ban, which would need unanimity to pass. Germany and France had also argued against a blanket ban, warning it could alienate future generations of Russians who did not deserve to be punished for Putin’s crimes. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland, all of which have land borders with Russia, supported the move. The five countries said suspending the EU’s visa facilitation deal with Moscow was a “necessary first step”. But they warned more needed to be done to “drastically limit” the numbers and said they could introduce their own national measures. “This has become a security risk for these neighboring states,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief. “Furthermore, we have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine.”

title: “Hungary Boasts Of Signing New Russian Gas Deal With Vladimir Putin Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Jose Posey”

Several European governments, including Germany, have vowed to wean themselves off their dependence on Russian gas. Many are consuming energy in case the Kremlin shuts off the taps in retaliation for Western sanctions. “Hungary’s energy supply is secure,” Zoltan Kovacs, a cabinet minister and international spokesman for Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, said after the deal was signed with state-owned Gazprom. Mr Orban had previously angered Kyiv after blocking an EU embargo on Russian oil until he secured his country’s removal from sanctions aimed at cutting capital to Putin’s war machine. Hungary is about 85% dependent on Russian gas. The new contract will bring up to 5.8 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to Hungary from September, on top of a 15-year deal signed last year for 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.

The EU does not agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists

Budapest has steadfastly opposed EU gas sanctions, which require unanimous support from all 27 member states. It also refused Western governments permission to transport weapons to Ukraine through its territory. In the latest sign of EU division over Russia, the bloc’s foreign ministers failed to agree on a blanket ban on Russian tourists called for by some member states at a meeting in Prague. Ministers agreed to make it harder and more expensive for Russian tourists to enter the bloc by suspending the 2007 visa facilitation deal. Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian foreign minister, said Budapest opposed the Russian visa ban, which would need unanimity to pass. Germany and France had also argued against a blanket ban, warning it could alienate future generations of Russians who did not deserve to be punished for Putin’s crimes. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland, all of which have land borders with Russia, supported the move. The five countries said suspending the EU’s visa facilitation deal with Moscow was a “necessary first step”. But they warned more needed to be done to “drastically limit” the numbers and said they could introduce their own national measures. “This has become a security risk for these neighboring states,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief. “Furthermore, we have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if there was no war raging in Ukraine.”