Hungary Targets 2027 to Phase Out Russian Gas as MOL Refineries Shift to Non‑Russian Crude
Hungary plans to end its use of Russian natural gas by autumn 2027, Foreign Minister Anita Orbán says, while energy firm MOL adapts refineries to run on non‑Russian crude delivered via Croatia’s JANAF pipeline and Budapest weighs a U.S. sanctions waiver that expires November 21.
Hungary, long one of Russia’s closest energy partners inside the European Union, is preparing to stop using Russian natural gas within about three years. Foreign Minister Anita Orbán told Hungarian outlet Telex that Budapest aims to phase out Russian gas by autumn 2027, in line with an EU timetable.
She said the plan relies in part on changes at refineries run by energy company MOL. These plants are being adapted to handle non‑Russian crude delivered through Croatia’s JANAF pipeline, rather than the Russian oil they traditionally processed.
Orbán also pointed to a temporary U.S. sanctions exemption that currently allows certain Russian oil purchases to continue until November 21. That waiver gives Hungary limited room to keep importing Russian barrels for now but is time‑bound and politically sensitive.
Shifting away from Russian gas will require alternative pipeline deals or access to non‑Russian supplies, and replacing Russian crude in refineries is an engineering challenge that can affect output and costs.
For the EU, Hungary’s stated 2027 deadline is a test of whether a government that often resisted tougher energy measures on Russia will now align more closely with bloc policy.
Upcoming signals include MOL’s investment plans, any new supply contracts with non‑Russian sellers, and Washington’s decision on whether to extend the current sanctions waiver beyond November 21.
Sources
- OSINT