Hungarian Foreign Minister and Minister of Trade Péter Szijjártó has urged the European Union to swiftly lift its ban on Russian oil and gas imports, citing the escalating war in the Middle East and the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz as severe threats to global energy security.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) from Istanbul on Monday, March 9, 2026, Szijjártó warned that the ongoing US-Israel conflict against Iran has placed a significant portion of the world’s energy supply at immediate risk. The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20-30% of global seaborne oil trade passes — has reportedly been closed amid intensified military operations, further constricting already strained energy flows.
“With the war in the Middle East escalating and the Strait of Hormuz closed, a major share of global energy supply is now at risk,” Szijjártó stated. He highlighted Europe’s particular vulnerability, arguing that the EU’s previous decisions to drastically reduce reliance on Russian energy — through successive sanctions packages since 2022 — have left the bloc dangerously exposed to Middle Eastern disruptions.
The Hungarian minister emphasized that a contraction in global supply would inevitably lead to sharp price spikes. “When supply shrinks, prices rise. Europe is therefore facing the risk of dramatic price increases,” he wrote, cautioning that households and industries across the continent could face severe economic hardship if energy costs surge further.
Szijjártó directly criticized the continuation of sanctions on Russian energy, asserting that they now harm ordinary Europeans more than they pressure Moscow. “If Brussels keeps the sanctions in place, it will cause serious harm to European people and the European economy,” he declared. He called for a pragmatic shift in policy, urging EU leaders to prioritize the “interests of Europeans” over what he described as “ideology.”
Hungary has consistently opposed or sought exemptions from EU sanctions targeting Russian energy since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Budapest maintains significant reliance on Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline and on Russian natural gas, arguing that abrupt cutoffs would devastate its economy without viable short-term alternatives. The country has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU-wide measures aimed at fully phasing out Russian fossil fuels.
Szijjártó’s latest remarks come amid a rapidly deteriorating energy landscape triggered by the Middle East crisis. The assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, 2026, in a US-Israeli strike, followed by retaliatory actions and counter-strikes, has already pushed global oil prices well above $100 per barrel. Reports of the Strait of Hormuz closure — whether partial, temporary, or full — have intensified fears of supply bottlenecks, insurance rate spikes for tankers, and potential rerouting through longer and costlier paths.
The Hungarian government’s position contrasts sharply with that of most EU member states, which have maintained a united front on sanctions against Russia while accelerating diversification toward LNG imports, Norwegian gas, renewable energy, and other non-Russian sources. Critics of Szijjártó’s stance argue that lifting sanctions now would undermine years of efforts to reduce strategic dependence on Moscow and reward aggression in Ukraine.
However, rising energy costs and inflation concerns have already fueled public discontent in several European countries, lending weight to calls for pragmatic relief measures. Hungary’s appeal arrives at a moment when some EU capitals are quietly reassessing energy security strategies in light of the new Middle Eastern flashpoint.
As the conflict shows no immediate signs of de-escalation, Szijjártó’s intervention highlights deepening divisions within the EU over how to balance geopolitical principles, energy affordability, and economic resilience in an increasingly volatile global environment. Whether his plea gains traction among other member states or is dismissed as opportunistic remains to be seen, but it underscores the profound challenges facing Europe as twin crises in Eastern Europe and the Middle East converge on its energy markets.
