EU countries use workarounds to buy Russian oil

By Asif Aydinli

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has once again criticized the majority of European Union countries, accusing them of secretly purchasing Russian oil through India , despite the sanctions imposed on Russia. In a statement published on his Facebook page, Szijjártó pointed out that many EU countries, while publicly supporting the sanctions policy, continue to trade with Russia through indirect methods.

The minister expressed his outrage that Hungary, which openly and transparently buys oil from Russia, is subjected to harsh criticism from its European partners. According to Szijjártó, Budapest has always adhered to the principle of transparency in its dealings with Russia and has not resorted to covert schemes to purchase energy resources. "We pursue an open and honest policy, not hiding behind complex schemes like others do," the minister stated.

Szijjártó highlighted that Hungary prefers to maintain open and honest economic relations with Russia, based on its national interests and energy needs. He emphasized that ensuring the country’s energy security is a priority for the Hungarian government and criticized EU countries for attempting to impose their conditions on other Union members while not following them themselves. "It is blatant hypocrisy when some countries criticize us for transparent dealings with Russia, while they themselves use concealed methods to bypass sanctions," Szijjártó added.

The minister provided specific examples of countries that continue to buy Russian oil despite the sanctions. He noted that a significant number of EU countries are unable to fully abandon Russian energy resources and are forced to seek alternative routes, such as using India as an intermediary. In recent months, India has significantly increased its imports of Russian oil, becoming one of the largest buyers of this commodity. Meanwhile, according to Szijjártó, the EU has become the largest importer of Indian-refined oil, clearly demonstrating Europe’s dependence on Russian energy resources.



The Hungarian minister also stressed that such schemes not only undermine unity within the European Union but also create conditions for further deterioration of relations between member states. He called for open and honest discussions on energy security issues and demanded that the EU abandon its double standards towards countries that continue to cooperate with Russia. "We need to end the hypocrisy and start an honest dialogue about how we will ensure Europe’s energy security in the current crisis," Szijjártó said.

Additionally, Szijjártó addressed the issue of sanctions against the Russian company Lukoil, imposed by Ukraine. He reported that since July 18, Hungary and Slovakia have ceased receiving oil from this company through the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry considers this move a violation of the agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, raising concerns in Budapest. "We expect our partners to honor their commitments and not make unilateral decisions that threaten the region’s energy stability," Szijjártó emphasized.

The Hungarian minister’s statements once again raise the question of how EU countries are dealing with internal contradictions amid the sanctions war with Russia. They underscore the need to reconsider current approaches and develop a new strategy that takes into account both the political and economic realities of the region.

News.Az