Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that the country will take the European Union to court over its planned phase-out of Russian energy imports. Orbán stated that the EU's approach, which uses trade rules to circumvent Hungary's veto power on energy sanctions, is a violation of European law and cooperation.
Hungary, heavily reliant on Russian fossil fuels, has consistently sought exemptions from EU sanctions against Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, threatening to veto such measures. Orbán has previously warned that cutting off Russian energy would lead to economic collapse in Hungary.
Orbán also mentioned that Hungary has secured a one-year waiver for Russian oil and gas imports, which he attributed to his relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump, asserting it would remain in place as long as both he and Trump are in office. He indicated that Hungary is exploring non-legal avenues in addition to the court challenge to avoid the EU's Russian energy phase-out.
