First of all, the country’s energy security, in the case of gas, the war in Ukraine can be seen in the background. This is the position of the Budapest government: theHungary announced through his chief minister that he would pay them Russian gas in rubles.
The most significant statement in this regard came from the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. “Hungary has no doubts about its obligation to pay for Russian gas in a way that guarantees its regular supply,” said head of government diplomacy Viktor Orban from Zagreb, where he is on an official visit.
“Energy supply is a matter of national security – added the Hungarian Foreign Minister – and the government has a duty to guarantee citizens’ security”. Budapest will then not follow Poland and Bulgariathe first European countries to decide in recent days not to comply with Moscow’s requirement to pay in rubles.
Conditions, the Russian ones, which the President decreed a few days ago Putin and towards the so-called “enemy countries”. That is, those countries whose governments have agreed sanctions against the Russian Federation. This includes Hungary along with everyone else in the European Union.
Budapest “breaks” Europe
The choice of Warsaw and Sofia, whose pipelines have not received Flow of gas from Russia seemed to have led Europe to a common position not to pay for supplies in rubles.
However, the departments. And that despite the fact that the European Commission had made precise specifications this morning. “You can open an account in Gazprombank – said the President of the European Commission this morning Ursula von der Leyen – The bank is not subject to any sanctions. But it can only be opened in euros, not in rubles”. The last option, again according to the head of the European executive, would be to circumvent sanctions.
But already last night on Bloomberg sources of Gazprom, the Russian company, said at least four countries paid in rubles and another 10 opened ruble accounts with Gazprombank. The need to use Russian gas and the impossibility of replacing it immediately has therefore divided the EU. With several governments willing to pay in rubles.
The election of the Hungarian government somehow dealt the coup de grace to the already fragile European unity on the matter. Budapest has written without beating around the bush that without gas the economy threatens to collapse. A risk that is not simply unbearable, especially in a phase like the current one.
A move destined to spark discussions between those who see it as a sign of Orban’s pragmatism and those who see it instead as a gesture of weakness towards Russia, both in Budapest and in Europe.