BUDAPEST, Dec 8 (Reuters) – Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban have agreed that Turkey will assure that Russian gasoline can proceed to stream to Hungary, Orban mentioned on Monday.
Hungary has maintained its reliance on Russian power for the reason that begin of the battle in Ukraine, prompting criticism from a number of European Union and NATO allies.
Hungary signed a 15-year deal in 2021 with Russia to purchase 4.5 billion cubic metres of gasoline yearly, and elevated purchases from Gazprom final yr, importing some 7.5 billion cubic metres of Russian gasoline by way of the Turkstream pipeline.
“Immediately I agreed with the president that you just, Turkey, will assure the route in order that we will transport (gasoline) from Russia to Hungary,” Orban mentioned in a press convention broadcast by state new channel M1.
Orban additionally mentioned that Hungary has obtained 7.5 billion cubic meters of gasoline via the Turkstream pipeline to this point this yr.
Final month the USA granted Hungary a one-year exemption from U.S. sanctions for utilizing Russian oil and gasoline after Orban pressed his case for a reprieve throughout a pleasant assembly with President Donald Trump in Washington.
Orban additionally met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the finish of November. He mentioned on Fb on the time that he was visiting Moscow “to make sure Hungary’s power provide is secured for the winter and subsequent yr”.
(Reporting by Anita Komuves; modifying by Barbara Lewis)