Hungary, Slovakia to Urge EU to Lift Curbs on Russian Oil and Gas

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary and Slovakia will urge the European Union to lift restrictions on imports of Russian oil and gas, citing risks to energy security.

Orban made the remarks after talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. He called on the EU to suspend sanctions on Russian energy supplies and urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to reopen the Druzhba pipeline.

Fico echoed the position, advocating for the restoration of dialogue with Russia.

Hungary and Slovakia remain the only European Union countries still importing Russian oil under exemptions, according to Reuters.

The leaders' statements come amid ongoing EU sanctions on Russia related to the war in Ukraine, which have included curbs on energy imports to reduce Moscow's revenues. Orban and Fico have previously expressed opposition to some of these measures, arguing they harm their countries' economies without significantly impacting Russia.