Hungarian PM comments on Ukraine's criticism of Russian gas deal

He stressed that he could not take Kyiv's viewpoint into account, the report said.

Orban said he was only accountable to Hungarian voters, who would be forced to pay much higher gas prices without the new agreement.

Earlier reports said that Gazprom had halted natural gas transit to Hungary via Ukraine. A contract between Hungary and Russia for the supply of 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year came into force on October 1, 2021. According to the contract, natural gas will be supplied to Hungary through the TurkStream gas pipeline.

"Hungary has been receiving gas through Ukraine for decades, and the Ukrainian side has never violated its obligations. Moreover, the Ukrainian route is the most economically reasonable one because it is the shortest way to supply gas to Hungary, as evidenced by trade between the two countries' companies in recent years," said Sergiy Makogon, CEO of GTSOU, the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine.

GTSOU said that Gazprom's ongoing monopolization of gas routes raises questions about the fundamental principles of the EU's gas markets - competitiveness and transparency.

"The strengthening of the dominance of one player and its use of leverage for obvious political purposes amid a shocking rise in gas prices in Europe must be stopped," Makogon said.

Despite the U.S.-Germany declaration on the need to maintain gas transit through Ukraine, Gazprom continues to reduce transit through Ukraine.

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