Hungary has filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice challenging the REPowerEU regulation that would fully ban imports of Russian natural gas starting in 2027, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.
“Without Russian oil and natural gas, neither the country’s energy security nor the achievements in lowering utility bills can be guaranteed,” Szijjarto said, defending the move. Hungary argues such a decision can only be taken under the EU’s sanctions mechanism, which requires unanimity among member states. It also says the EU measure essentially violates the “principle of energy solidarity,” under which each member state decides from whom and from which sources it buys energy.
Szijjarto acknowledged the court case could take one to two years. That timeline throws its outcome into question, with Hungary’s next parliamentary elections set for April 12. The pro-European Tisza party, led by Viktor Orban’s opponent Peter Magyar, leads with 48% support, according to a Reuters poll, while ruling Fidesz stands at 40%.
On Monday, January 26, the Council of the EU formally adopted a regulation to phase out imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe.
Existing contracts will have transition periods: for short-term deals, until April 25, 2026 (LNG) and June 17, 2026 (pipeline gas); for long-term deals, until January 1, 2027 (LNG) and September 30, 2027 (pipeline gas). Hungary and Slovakia voted against the measure, while Bulgaria abstained. Before 2022, Russian gas accounted for about 40% of EU imports; by 2025, that share had fallen to roughly 13%.
