Hungary has imported a record 5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas through the TurkStream pipeline since January, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto confirmed this week. The route, which connects Russia to Türkiye and Southern Europe, has become Budapest’s primary lifeline for energy supplies after Ukraine halted gas transit at the end of last year.
“Record volumes of natural gas are already arriving via TurkStream through Serbia – over 5 bcm since January,” Szijjarto said on Monday, according to government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs. “This secures our energy supply and helps preserve Hungary’s achievements in keeping household utility costs low.”
Hungary continues to rely heavily on long-term contracts with Gazprom, despite the European Union’s pledge to phase out Russian energy imports by 2027 under its RePowerEU strategy. In 2024, deliveries to Hungary reached a historic 7.6 billion cubic meters, underscoring the country’s dependence on Russian gas.
The TurkStream pipeline not only supplies Hungary but also serves Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece. Its strategic role has grown as other routes were cut off, particularly after the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines and Russia’s sharp reduction of exports to the EU in 2022. Moscow’s share of European pipeline gas has since dropped from more than 40% in 2021 to about 11% in 2024.
Hungary, however, has openly resisted Brussels’ energy diversification strategy. Szijjarto has warned that cutting ties with Russian suppliers would “destroy Hungary’s energy security” and trigger severe price hikes for households.
Meanwhile, Russia is redirecting much of its gas exports toward Asia. Through the Power of Siberia pipeline, flows to China are rising, with Moscow and Beijing advancing plans for the Power of Siberia 2 project via Mongolia, reinforcing Russia’s energy pivot eastward.
