Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto says underlying geopolitical and security issues are to blame

The ongoing energy crisis in Europe will be a long one, stretching into 2023 and 2024, and possibly beyond, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto warned after a meeting of EU energy ministers on Wednesday.

“Now we are seeing the first global energy crisis in history, and it is long term,” proclaimed Szijjarto, explaining that the crisis is being fueled by “structural geopolitical reasons linked to security”, what do you require “long-term solutions”.

The diplomat pointed out that “international institutions that still retain a bit of common sense” they also warn that this is a long-term crisis and a problem that will exist “Not just this winter, but the next and the one after that.”

Szijjarto also mentioned that Hungary’s own energy supply has been secured, after the country reached an agreement with Russia and has been receiving gas through the TurkStream pipeline without interruption.

“This is why the Hungarian government pays special attention to ensuring the physical and legal functioning of Turkish Stream, as this is a fundamental interest of our national security.” he said, noting that Hungarian gas storage facilities are filled to 48.2% of annual consumption, while the average fill level for Europe is currently 26.9%.

Hungary receives around 80% of its gas from Russian gas giant Gazprom. While Russia has cut off gas supplies to several countries, Hungary signed an agreement with Moscow in late August for additional deliveries on top of already agreed volumes.

Hungarian President Viktor Orban had previously accused EU leaders of causing the current energy crisis by introducing “counterproductive” sanctions on Russian energy for Moscow’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine. Budapest has repeatedly asked “Brussels failed policy” be modified, taking into account that the sanctions “they did not fulfill the hopes that were placed in them”, while Europe is “bleeding slowly”.

President Vladimir Putin has likened the bloc’s attempts to isolate itself from Russian fossil fuels to economic problems. “suicide.”

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