Orban Visits Serbia, Russia withโ Energy Top of the Agenda
BELGRADE, Serbia – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbรกn met with Serbianโฃ President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ in Belgrade today, with energy security and deepeningโ economic ties between the two nations takingโฃ center stage. The visit comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions stemming from the war in Ukraine and increasing scrutiny of Hungary’s relationship withโข Russia.
Orbรกn andโค Vuฤiฤ discussed potential joint energy projects,including expanding the TurkStream pipeline – which currently delivers Russian gas โto Serbia – through Hungary. Orbรกn emphasized the importance of diversifying energy sources โwhile acknowledging the continued โคreliance on Russian supplies. “Weโ need to find solutions toโข ensureโ energy security for both Hungary and โSerbia,” Orbรกn stated following the meeting.
The leaders also addressed regional stabilityโ and the challenges posed by sanctions โagainst Russia. Serbia, which has not joined the EU’s sanctions regime against Moscow, maintains close economic and political ties with Russia. Hungary has repeatedly called for a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Ukraine and has resisted EU efforts to impose stricter sanctions on Russia, notably in the energy sector.
This visit underscores a growing alignment between Budapest andโฃ Belgrade, โคboth of which have often taken positions divergent from the broader EU consensus.Orbรกn’s trip also โฃprecedes a planned visit to Moscow,โ where he intends to discuss gas supplies with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite warnings from brussels and other Western capitals. The Hungarian Prime Minister has justified the Moscow trip as necessary to โsecure Hungary’s energy needs, stating that “we have to defend our national interests.”