Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto: Thanks to TurkStream, we do not need another route.

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Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, emphasized that his country would not be affected by the end of transit flows through Ukraine thanks to the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline, stating, "We do not need another route thanks to the Turkish Stream."

HUNGARIAN MINISTER'S STRIKING STATEMENT ON TURKEY

Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, made statements at the Istanbul Energy Forum.

Szijjarto pointed out that Hungary's cooperation with Turkey is strategically very important, noting that the relations are built on the great personal friendship between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE PURCHASED NATURAL GAS FROM TURKEY"

Szijjarto indicated that there have been some turning points in bilateral relations this year, stating, "For the first time, we purchased natural gas from Turkey. Thus, Hungary became the first country that is not a neighbor of Turkey to import gas from your country. 250 million cubic meters is a good start. Now, our gas trading company and BOTAŞ are working on a new contract framework to continue gas deliveries. On the other hand, our oil company and TPAO are planning an expanded cooperation to mutually participate in each other's projects in Turkey and Hungary in the future," he said.

Emphasizing the strong cooperation in nuclear energy, Szijjarto stated, "Both Turkey and Hungary are investing heavily to increase their nuclear capacities. We use the same technology and have the same main contractor. Rosatom is building a nuclear power plant for both countries. We have agreed on a close cooperation in this regard. We look at each other's expertise, share applications and experiences, and help train each other's nuclear engineers and specialists."

Szijjarto addressed the goals of the two countries in the field of oil and gas trade, stating, "The most important thing for us is the continuation of the gas delivery contract between our company trading gas with BOTAŞ. Together with Minister Bayraktar, we are encouraging the managers of these companies to complete the agreement as soon as possible. Additionally, we want to reach new milestones to enter into a strategic partnership with the MOL oil company and your oil company TPAO and to be involved in each other's projects in both countries."

"6.6 BILLION CUBIC METERS OF NATURAL GAS CAME THROUGH THE TURKISH STREAM"

Recalling that an agreement on the shipment of Russian natural gas through Ukraine is nearing completion, Szijjarto stated, "The cessation of transit through Ukraine has no effect on us. Because a few years ago, we built the Turkish Stream pipeline together with Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Russia. Hungary is currently receiving natural gas supply through the Turkish Stream. We are importing more than 20 million cubic meters daily, which is a new record. This year, more than 6.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas came to Hungary through the Turkish Stream. This figure is more than the total of last year. Therefore, thanks to this investment we made a few years ago, the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine is of no importance to us."

"THANKS TO THE TURKISH STREAM, WE DO NOT NEED AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE"

Szijjarto pointed out that there is no search for an alternative route, stating, "We do not need it thanks to the Turkish Stream." Addressing the Russia-Ukraine War, Szijjarto mentioned that his country, which borders Ukraine, faces the negative effects of the war every day.

Szijjarto stated that the Biden administration is trying to make it difficult for the country's elected president, Donald Trump, to achieve peace with steps that could escalate the Russia-Ukraine War, saying, "The Democrats' approval for the use of long-range missiles against Russian territory and even the announcement of sanctions against Gazprombank poses a risk of escalation of the war. This is a clear sign that this administration does not care about any consequences in its final days. Therefore, we hope that January 20 will come as soon as possible."