Hungary has initiated a summit of the four Visegrád countries to discuss energy supply, Foreign Minister Péter Balázs told Népszabadság after Russia yesterday threatened to cut off oil shipments through Ukraine.
The two countries subsequently reached an agreement on Monday evening, which could be signed in the next two days.
A Visegrád summit could be held next month in Budapest to co-coordinate the energy supply to Central European countries and create a common position in energy issues, Balázs said.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico yesterday announced that Russia had threatened to cut off oil shipments to his country, the Czech Republic and Hungary, due to an impending dispute with Ukraine. He had been so informed by the European Commission, which had been notified by Russian authorities.
In recent years, disputes between Russia and Ukraine led to the shutdown of gas deliveries to many European countries in the midst of the winter season.
Hungary is well-prepared for any possible interruption of oil deliveries, said Lajos Oláh, state secretary at the Transport and Energy Ministry. The country has three months of reserves, he noted.