Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest to discuss strategic issues in the field of energy and infrastructure, as well as a wide range of cooperation between the two countries, BTA reports.
“Our relations with Hungary and our good friend Viktor Orban are excellent, but we want to strengthen them through concrete talks on energy, infrastructure and joint projects“, Vucic wrote on his Instagram account after the meeting.
He congratulated Orban on the fact that Hungary will host “one of the most significant meetings in recent history“ between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where options for ending the military conflict in Ukraine will be discussed.
“Energy security remains our priority. We discussed the strategic positioning of Serbia and Hungary, the joint response to regional challenges and ensuring long-term stability in energy and the economy“, Vučić pointed out.
The topic of energy was particularly relevant after the introduction of US sanctions against the Serbian oil company NIS (Naftna industrija Srbije) on October 9, which operates the only refinery in the country. “Gazprom Neft“ remains the main shareholder with 44.9%, while the state owns nearly 30% of the shares. The aim of the sanctions is to limit the financing of Russian military actions in Ukraine.
Vučić discussed with Orbán future gas supplies to Serbia and the possibilities of the Hungarian company MOL to compensate for the shortage of oil derivatives, emphasizing that this is a win-win situation for both countries, but warning about the importance of the functioning of the Serbian refinery in the future.
The president pointed out that Europe is putting pressure on countries that refuse to join the sanctions against Russia, and stressed the need for a policy of peace.
Meanwhile, the EU adopted a proposal to gradually stop imports of Russian gas by January 2028, with member states agreeing on a transition period for existing contracts.