Hungary’s foreign minister is in Moscow to secure a guarantee from Russia that oil and gas prices for Budapest will not rise despite global market spikes.

MOSCOW: Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto arrived in Moscow on Wednesday to seek crucial assurances from Russia over energy supplies and pricing.

Szijjarto stated he was there to obtain guarantees that Russia would continue delivering necessary quantities of oil and gas to Hungary at unchanged prices, despite the changed global circumstances and energy crisis.

His visit included a scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin later that day.

Global energy prices have surged since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, impacting even the benchmark price of Russian crude.

Hungary is the European Union’s largest importer of Russian fossil fuels, having maintained purchases and secured exemptions from EU sanctions throughout the conflict in Ukraine.

Budapest is already facing supply disruption due to the closure of the Druzhba pipeline, which normally transports Russian oil to Hungary.

Ukraine claims the pipeline was damaged in a Russian strike in January and that the threat of another attack is preventing repairs.

Hungary and Slovakia, which also buys Russian crude, have accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying the repairs to pressure them and cut off their Russian energy supplies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that buyers of Russian oil were “facing blackmail”, accusing Kyiv of “the deliberate blocking of deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline”.

Szijjarto emphasised he was seeking assurances that the crude oil and natural gas necessary for Hungary’s energy supply would continue to be available.

 The Sun Malaysia