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Szijjarto stressed that Hungary rejects any sanctions against Russian oil and gas. He added that imposing any sanctions on activities related to nuclear energy was also a “red line” for Hungary.
Read: Humiliated, Hungarian Foreign Minister Summons Ukrainian Ambassador
“Fuel (for the Paks plant) always comes from Russia by train via Ukraine. Unfortunately this is no longer possible, so we have to look for alternative ways of delivery,” Szijjarto said in a Facebook video from Brussels, as quoted by Reuters.
He said the shipment of fuel had arrived via the airspace of Belarus, Poland and Slovakia to Hungary with the agreement of the three countries, because nuclear energy was not subject to EU sanctions.
Hungary wants to expand the Russian-made Paks 2 gigawatt nuclear power plant with two Russian-made VVER reactors, each with a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts.
Read: Hungary invites Putin to meet leaders of France, Germany and Ukraine
The project that was awarded in 2014 without a tender to nuclear giant Rosatom has often been cited as a sign of warm relations between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The project was delayed.
Orban, who was re-elected for a fourth straight term in elections on Sunday, told a news conference on Wednesday that Budapest wants to strengthen its Western alliance, as Hungary’s future lies in the European Union and firmly within NATO.
But he also said Hungary was ready to pay rubles for Russian gas, breaking the line with the EU which has been seeking a united front against Moscow’s demand for currency payments.
(esn)
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