Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 22, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleHungary's Orban urges EU to reconsider Russian energy ban amid rising prices due to US-Iran conflict, affecting EU energy policies.
By Gergely Szakacs
BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday urged the European Union to take a proposed ban on Russian energy off the agenda due to an expected rise in energy prices following the US bombing of Iran.
The European Commission on Tuesday proposed a legally binding ban on EU imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas by the end of 2027, using legal measures to ensure the plan cannot be blocked by EU members Hungary and Slovakia.
The proposals set out how the bloc plans to fix into law its vow to end decades-old energy relations with Europe's former top gas supplier after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
"We must contend with a further increase in the price of energy," Orban said in a Facebook video after a meeting of his Defence Council that discussed the possible security and economic implications of the Iran-Israel conflict.
"This is a serious threat. Therefore, we must remove in Brussels the regulations and bans on Russian energy," he said. "We have enough problems given the negative impact of the Iran-Israel war on energy prices."
Earlier on Sunday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto held phone calls with the foreign ministers of Israel, Russia, Bahrain and Jordan to discuss the Middle East crisis.
Slovakia and Hungary continue to receive Russian gas and oil and have argued with Ukraine over its decision to halt gas flows from the east through its territory at the end of 2024.
The EU has imposed sanctions on most Russian oil imports but not on gas due to opposition from Slovakia and Hungary, which maintain closer ties with Moscow.
Analysts have said higher oil prices, which have surged since Israel began attacking Iran a week ago, could add to inflationary pressures in the import-reliant central European region.
(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; editing by Giles Elgood)
Viktor Orban urged the European Union to remove the proposed ban on Russian energy imports from the agenda due to anticipated rising energy prices.
The ongoing Iran-Israel conflict is expected to increase energy prices, which Orban highlighted as a serious threat to Hungary's energy security.
The European Commission has proposed a legally binding ban on EU imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas by the end of 2027, aiming to end reliance on Russian energy.
Slovakia and Hungary continue to receive Russian gas and oil, despite the EU's sanctions on most Russian oil imports.
The Defence Council discussed the potential security and economic implications of the rising energy prices and the ongoing Middle East crisis.
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