Hungary openly purchases Russian crude oil because it has no alternative, while other European countries buy it indirectly through intermediaries for cheaper prices, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday after a meeting of the Hungarian-Azerbaijani Joint Economic Committee.
He was responding to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who criticised European countries for continuing to buy Russian oil.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named Hungary and Slovakia as the two EU states still importing directly from Russia.
“Let’s not be fooled by hypocrites”, Szijjártó said, “those shouting loudest about Hungary and Slovakia are often the same ones buying Russian oil via Asian countries.”
According to him, other countries buy Russian oil secretly because it is cheaper, while Hungary does so because it has no other option.
He also accused Croatia of raising transit fees five-fold instead of providing alternatives.