Steven N.Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó will take part in a panel discussion at Russian Energy Week in Moscow on Thursday, writes 444.
Also appearing on the “Global Energy Trends: Today and Tomorrow” panel with the Foreign Minister will be Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, as well as heads of Russian companies Gazprom Neft, Novatek, and VEB.RF. The media outlet reports that except for Szijjártó, all of them are on the Western sanctions list.
Acording to its description, the panel discussion will cover how the global community can meet the world’s energy needs, asserting that “cooperation between all countries is vital.” However, the expected course the discussion will take can be inferred by the next sentence, which states that “some countries and coalitions have aggravated the geopolitical situation by associating universal energy access with international political relations.”
The description also notes the slowdown in global energy supplies by simply citing “current geopolitical turbulence” as the reason, omiting any mention of the war in Ukraine.
Russian Energy Week is primarily attended by Russian politicians and businesspeople, claims the news outlet. Péter Szijjártó is the only foreign guest on the program from a European Union country. [HVG]
The blood on the streets of Ukraine has barely had time to “dry” following the terror attacks yesterday and today, ordered by Putin, but the Hungarian foreign minister is participating in the “Moscow Energy Conference.” Not since Horthy allied Hungary with the nazi regime has Hungary been so isolated, let alone such a pariah state.
This new trip of Szijjártó to Moscow, on top of his recent meeting with Labrov in New York, reflects very, very badly on Hungary in the eyes of all the other member states of the EU. Quite soon, these states will vote in the Council on stopping most European funds for Hungary. Therefore, playing footsie with Russia as the impending risk of economic catastrophe looms cannot possibly in Hungary’s interest. But it certainly is in Russia’s interest… The conclusion cannot be plainer: as it has been evident for many years now, the Fidesz government is beholden to Russia in a deep way.