Hungary says the infrastructure is necessary to ensure its security in light of Brussels efforts to phase out Russian energy

Hungary has announced progress on a new pipeline with Serbia to transport Russian oil. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the project is "moving forward" and vowed to defy Brussels' efforts to cut Budapest off from Russian energy.

The 300km-long pipeline, which will have an expected annual capacity of 4-5 million tons, will enable Serbia to receive Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline and position Hungary as a transit hub.

Szijjarto made the announcement on Monday after meeting with Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin and Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Dedovic-Handanovic. Szijjarto said all sides support the project, which could be operational by 2027, and have reviewed investment and construction details.

"We're moving forward with Serbian and Russian partners to build a new oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia," Szijjarto wrote on X.

Speaking to reporters, he accused Brussels of seeking "to cut us off from Russian oil and gas, forcing Hungarian families to pay two to four times more."

"We won't allow that. We are building new sources, not shutting them down."

Szijjarto did not disclose Moscow's exact role in the project, but Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum last month that the country was ready to both aid in construction and supply oil to the planned pipeline.

Russian oil supplies to the EU have plunged due to Ukraine-related sanctions, including a 2023 embargo on seaborne crude and a price cap on Russian oil. Brussels now aims to eliminate Russian energy imports entirely by 2028 under its RePowerEU plan.

Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy, opposes the plan and recently blocked new sanctions targeting Moscow's energy but lifted its veto in July after securing national exemptions. The 18th sanctionspackageincludes a dynamic price cap on Russian oil and curbs on imports of oil products made from Russian crude in third countries.

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Moscow has condemned the Western sanctions as illegal and self-defeating, especially those targeting energy, citing price spikes in the EU and warning the bloc will eventually have to turn to costlier alternatives or indirect Russian imports through intermediaries.

(RT.com)