Hungary proposes ‘cunning plan’ to preserve gas transit through Ukraine

Hungary is negotiating with Russia and Ukraine to keep open gas supplies through Ukraine, despite the fact that Russian gas imports are now carried out through the Turkish Stream pipeline. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said this on Saturday, adding that he did not want to abandon the route, UNN reports citing Reuters.

The media outlet notes that the pipeline through Ukraine is one of the last major supply routes for Russian gas to Europe, but it is due to be closed at the end of this year because Kiev does not want to extend a five-year transit agreement that delivers gas to Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria.

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“Now we are trying a trick … what if the gas will no longer be Russian by the time it reaches Ukraine, but will already belong to the buyers,” Orban said at a briefing. “So the gas that comes to Ukraine will no longer be Russian, but will be Hungarian.

Orban said talks were ongoing and it was unclear whether the Russian partner and Ukraine would accept it, but Hungary would not give up the Ukrainian transit route for gas.

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Hungary has imported about 7.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas this year through the Turkish Stream pipeline and additional volumes through Romania. It also has domestic production of about 1-1.5 billion cubic meters of gas, Orban said.

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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo warned Friday of a natural gas crisis as Ukraine continues to refuse to extend natural gas transit through its territory because of the war.