Brussels – Russian gas is increasingly far from the homes of Europeans, but there are those who are not resigned to the path decisively taken by Brussels. The proposal to ban all contracts with the Kremlin by the end of 2027 is entering into full swing: tomorrow, the competent committee of the EU Parliament will give its verdict, and the usual suspects are ready to oppose it. Meanwhile, Hungary and Slovakia continue to promise obstructionism in the EU Council.
Today, 15 October, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó was in Moscow for the Energy Week. The message delivered to Brussels is loud and clear: no intention to turn off the Russian gas taps. A position in stark contrast to that of the European Commission, which in May had presented a roadmap for full energy independence by 2027.
The opposition in Parliament
On the parliamentary front, the opposition faction can count on the 5 Star Movement delegation. A note released today, signed by three MEPs (Danilo Della Valle, Gaetano Pedullà, and Dario Tamburrano), states that “the European Parliament is preparing to vote on a measure that will put an end to the import of Russian gas alone, without considering the serious consequences for the energy market.”
According to the Movement, the reduction that began in 2022 with the Russian incursion into Ukraine had only negative effects for Italy. “In the whole of 2024,” the statement continues, “the average price of electricity in Italy was 108.5 €/MWh, compared to 58 in France and 63 in Spain: this translates into a huge drain on resources, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. A disparity due to Italy’s heavy dependence on Russian gas. For the men of Giuseppe Conte, the measure is a “suicidal” decision and only serves to “replace our dependence on Russian gas with a new dependence on liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.”
In fact, the spur to accelerate the process of energy isolation from Moscow came directly from Washington. The US President Donald Trump stated in his speech to the United Nations that “it is inexcusable that NATO countries have not cut off much of Russia’s energy,” adding that, not unreasonably, fighting Russia in this way is “wasting time.”
The visit to Moscow
In the strange paths of politics, where one used to be Trumpian (like the Grillo followers) and now a little less so, the Hungary of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has always chosen to stay close to the tycoon. Not on everything, however. American arguments about energy autonomy from Moscow do not please Budapest at all.
A position reiterated today by the Hungarian foreign minister. Visiting Moscow for the second time since the 2022 invasion, Szijjártó said: “My task is to ensure the security of the country’s energy supply. Without Russia, this would be physically impossible,” adding ironically: “How can Brussels claim that closing a gas pipeline is diversification?”
Cutting one of our two oil pipelines is not diversification. It’s insanity. Our decisions on energy supply will always follow one principle: the Hungarian national interest.
pic.twitter.com/lGz4Jvlw16– Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto)
October 15, 2025
Surrounded by ministers from North Korea, Afghanistan, and Venezuela, he responded with satisfaction to the moderator’s question: “How does it feel to be the only sane person within the European Union?” The answer was clear: “Let us not forget Slovakia and our friends from the Czech Republic, who have a patriot as their prime minister.” Later, he added, “There are several states that are on our side, but they cannot express this opinion publicly”.
A vague and provocative allusion, within a visit that did not please the European institutions at all. The spokeswoman of the European Commission, Anitta Hipper, clarified: “All bilateral meetings of EU members should respect the position of the EU,” also reminding that “being in Moscow now is not the right message to send to Putin, because times and contexts matter.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
