Moscow Endorses Hungarian Demand for EU to Repeal Russian Energy Sanctions Amid Global Supply Crisis

Kirill Dmitriyev backs Hungary's demand for the EU to lift Russian energy sanctions, citing the Middle East war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 11:27 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Anadolu Agency

Russia and Hungary Form Diplomatic Front Against EU Energy Policy

In a significant diplomatic alignment, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriyev has publicly endorsed calls from Budapest to immediately terminate the European Union’s ban on Russian energy imports. Dmitriyev characterized the current sanctions regime as a profound error by "European bureaucrats," suggesting that the shifting geopolitical landscape would soon force Brussels to abandon its ideological stance. The endorsement follows an earlier statement by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who argued that European economic survival now depends on the resumption of stable energy flows from the east.

Middle East Conflict Places Global Energy Security at Risk

The joint call for sanction relief is driven by the severe disruption of global energy corridors following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Foreign Minister Szijjarto highlighted that with the Strait of Hormuz now closed—a maritime chokepoint responsible for approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply—Europe faces an unprecedented energy deficit. Hungarian officials maintain that the double pressure of Middle Eastern supply shocks and self-imposed Russian energy bans is creating an unsustainable economic environment for European citizens and industrial sectors.

Accusations of Strategic Failure and Ideological Rigidity

Dmitriyev’s response to the Hungarian proposal was pointed, suggesting that admitting the "strategic mistake" of sanctions would be the most difficult task for EU leadership. He argued that the current crisis demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of how global markets operate. From the Russian perspective, the EU’s insistence on maintaining energy restrictions in the face of a mounting global crisis is viewed as a form of "self-harm" that prioritizes geopolitical ideology over the basic material welfare and energy security of the European populace.