The Hungarian government will use the ruble payment system for oil and gas imports from Russia. This was underlined by the Foreign Minister of Budapest, Peter Szijjarto, highlighting that “85% of the gas supply” and “65% of the oil supply” of Hungary come from Russia. “For what reason? It is determined by the infrastructure. It is not for fun, we did not choose this situation,” he said in an interview with CNN, explaining that there are no alternative routes or sources that would allow Hungary to stop imports of energy from Russia. Specifically, Gergely Gulyas, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, specified that Budapest “will pay in euros (on an account, ed.) at Gazprombank, with the latter converting that sum into rubles”. Hungary, he added, will act in this way “together with nine other nations”, arguing that “it complies with the sanctioning policy of the European Union”, contrary to the ruble payment system.
