Hungary's foreign minister says the U.S. has already regarded them as adversaries, and their future situation will be extremely difficult.

(Szijjártó) As an EU member state, Hungary has not followed other EU countries in supplying weapons to Ukraine since the Russia-Ukraine crisis began, nor has it imposed sanctions on Russian oil and gas. Prime Minister Orbán has repeatedly criticized the U.S. and Europe for fanning the flames of conflict. Hungary has never agreed to sanction Russia’s nuclear energy sector; indeed, several proposed sanctions were shelved precisely because Hungary refused to endorse them. Hungary has its own strategic considerations. As a relatively less affluent newcomer within the EU, and as a former Warsaw Pact member, Hungary has long relied on energy imports from the Soviet Union—and now from Russia. Multiple oil and gas pipelines traverse Hungarian territory, enabling access to inexpensive energy. This reliable, low-cost energy supply has facilitated Hungary’s post-EU accession integration of industrial capacity transferred from Western Europe. Especially critical is Hungary’s sole nuclear power plant—the Paks Nuclear Power Plant—originally built with Soviet assistance. It houses four VVER-440-type reactors, commissioned between 1982 and 1987, with a total installed capacity of approximately 2,000 megawatts. Built entirely to Soviet standards, the plant continues to rely on Russia for maintenance services and nuclear fuel supply. (A nuclear power plant with distinct Russian characteristics) To meet growing societal and industrial energy demands, Russia began assisting Hungary in expanding the Paks plant starting in 2014—providing two new Russian-designed reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts. Once completed, nuclear generation capacity will more than double, allowing Hungary not only to meet domestic demand but also to export surplus electricity and earn foreign exchange—a win-win scenario. Heh.

The EU gets 'stabbed in the back' again: Hungary opens its doors wide, and Russia will build two nuclear reactors for it.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict remains intense, and with winter approaching, multiple EU countries are beginning to reassess their priorities—ensuring safe passage through the cold season has become an urgent necessity for many European nations. Meanwhile, Russia’s broader geopolitical strategy is starting to yield visible results. Recently, according to CNN, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has granted approval for the expansion project at Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Power Plant. Notably, Hungary and Russia signed an agreement back in 2014 stipulating that Rosatom—the Russian state nuclear energy corporation—would construct two new nuclear reactors at the Paks site. Thus, this expansion will be carried out by Russia. The existing Paks plant operates four reactors, which collectively supply nearly half of Hungary’s electricity. This bilateral cooperation will undoubtedly significantly boost the plant’s power-generation capacity. In Europe’s winter, stable electricity supply is literally a matter of survival. It is worth emphasizing that Hungary is a fully-fledged European country and an EU member state. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the EU has consistently aligned itself closely with the United States, actively stirring up trouble—from sanctioning Russian cats to targeting Russian officials. The EU’s strategic approach could be described as ‘inflicting damage on Russia at the cost of self-harm’; any association with Russia is strictly taboo. Hungary’s cooperation with Russia thus stands in stark contradiction to the EU’s prevailing political orthodoxy. So why is Hungary willing to defy the EU’s strong objections and pursue this partnership with Russia? At its core, the motivation lies in securing stable energy supplies. From the outset of the sanctions campaign, Hungary declared its unwillingness to follow the EU in sanctioning Russia. Its current overture toward Russia effectively installs a ‘safety valve’ for the coming winter. With these dual layers of cooperation in place, Russia may well view this pragmatic nation with renewed favor.

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Hungary is reviewing options to replace Russia's Rosatom as the main contractor for its Paks nuclear power plant expansion, weighing legal and financial consequences amid geopolitical tensions and operational setbacks.

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Hungary Considers Replacing Russia's Rosatom in Nuclear Project

Hungary Considers Replacing Russia's Rosatom in Nuclear Project

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