Europe will not achieve energy independence quickly, and abandoning Russian energy sources will require time and significant investment, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said. He called on the European Union to appoint its own representative to participate in efforts to reach a political settlement to the war in Ukraine.
Magyar said that energy independence remains a strategic goal, but warned against expectations of an immediate result. In his words, Hungary must diversify its supplies while simultaneously guaranteeing the security and affordability of energy for households and the economy.
“The goal is energy independence, but we cannot completely break away from Russian energy overnight,” Magyar said in an interview cited by budapesttimes.hu.The Hungarian prime minister linked the energy issue to the war in Ukraine. In his view, Europe should have a clearer role in diplomatic efforts and should not leave negotiations to end the conflict solely to the United States and Russia.
His call for a European representative comes against the backdrop of an EU discussion on appointing a special envoy for future negotiations. The idea would give the union a single spokesperson and a mandate to participate in the talks, but the member states have not reached agreement on the role and powers of such a figure.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said that the union would not try to replace the United States as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia. According to her, Europe’s task is to support Ukraine and ensure that its interests are protected in any possible peace process.
Europe insists on taking part in the negotiations
The issue of European participation intensified ahead of the planned talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. France confirmed that it would send a representative, while Moscow said that European countries still did not have a common position on who could represent them.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that a European presence was necessary when discussing future security guarantees and the post-war order on the continent. The Kremlin, however, continues to insist that the initial talks should remain in a trilateral format between Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
Magyar supports a rapid ceasefire and lasting peace with international guarantees for Ukraine. His position combines support for a diplomatic solution with a more cautious approach to the accelerated abandonment of Russian energy supplies.
Sources: budapesttimes.hu, euronews.com, 24.hu