Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Hungary has “fended off” signing the next long-term agreement with Russia concerning gas supplies.
Orban added that "the current deferral provides gas supplies to Hungary for about four or five years". According to Orban, Hungary will not resell Russian natural gas to Ukraine, and would not support the European Union’s initiative to create an energy union.
Gazprom may agree to Hungary’s proposal to sign a short-term gas deal along with the extension of a contract on Russian natural gas supplies to Hungary. Hungary currently pays $260 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. A source close to Gazprom said that negotiations on extending Gazprom’s gas contract with Hungary are currently at the initial stage and will take into account the wishes of both parties, as well as the parameters agreed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Hungary.
During Putin’s visit to Budapest on February 17, the sides agreed that it was possible to give up the "take or pay" principle in gas supplies and also reduce the volume of obligatory gas intake under the contracts.
