Hungary has requested 18 billion euros in compensation from the European Union for the fuel embargo against the Russian Federation

Hungary expects the European Union to finance investments and compensate for the increase in energy prices from alternative suppliers if the country refuses Russian oil. This, as reported by Reuters, said the head of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, Peter Szijjártó.

He said that the complete modernization of Hungary's energy infrastructure would require 15-18 billion euros.

According to Szijjártó, another solution could be to remove the clause on the introduction of an embargo on pipeline oil supplies from the sixth package of EU sanctions.

Politico reported, citing three EU representatives, that the European Union could provide Hungary with financial compensation to support new sanctions against Russia, including an embargo on Russian oil. However, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has so far blocked European sanctions against Russian oil, arguing that stopping imports would be tantamount to dropping a "nuclear bomb" on the Hungarian economy.

Earlier, Brussels proposed to give Hungary and Slovakia, landlocked and dependent on Russian raw materials, a delay until the end of 2024 to refuse Russian supplies. Hungary said it needed more time to reduce its dependence on Russian oil.

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell , said on May 16 that EU foreign ministers could not yet agree on a sixth package of anti-Russian sanctions.