Hungary and Slovakia remain two of the few EU member states still reliant on Russian oil and gas, more than two years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On September 28, their leaders openly challenged Brussels’ latest plan to further reduce dependence on Russian energy.
The comments came during a joint appearance at the 130th anniversary of the Maria Valeria Bridge, which connects Štúrovo in Slovakia with Esztergom in Hungary. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stressed that energy policy should remain a matter of national sovereignty.
Fico also warned that cutting Europe off entirely from Russian supplies would cause disproportionate harm to Slovakia and Hungary, while also damaging the wider EU economy.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán echoed his counterpart’s stance, portraying Brussels’ energy agenda as destabilising.
The European Commission recently confirmed it is working on a plan to impose tariffs on Russian oil still reaching the bloc through Hungary and Slovakia. The initiative comes alongside mounting pressure from Washington, with U.S. President Donald Trump urging NATO allies to halt Russian energy imports, claiming such a move could hasten the end of the war in Ukraine.
Both Budapest and Bratislava argue that a rapid phase-out of Russian supplies is unrealistic. Hungary in particular points to geographical and infrastructure limitations, insisting that replacing Russian imports would be nearly impossible without major disruption.
However, critics warn that by resisting EU energy diversification, Hungary and Slovakia risk undermining Europe’s united stance against Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine.