Relationship dossier
Hungary
Russia
Relationship assessment
Energy cooperation persists amid deep divisions over Russia’s war against Ukraine
Hungary toward Russia
+20Hungary has maintained Russian energy imports and pursued the Rosatom-led Paks II nuclear project. Its government has also resisted or sought exemptions from some EU measures affecting Russian interests, while remaining an EU and NATO member.
Russia toward Hungary
+15Russia has supplied Hungary with natural gas and has pursued a major nuclear-power project there through Rosatom, including financing for Paks II. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has undermined Hungary’s security interests and complicated the bilateral relationship.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship has durable energy cooperation, notably Russian gas supplies and the Paks II project, alongside Hungary’s efforts to preserve economic ties with Moscow. That cooperation is constrained by Russia’s war against Ukraine and Hungary’s EU and NATO commitments, creating a mixed relationship rather than a close partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Hungary and Russia maintain substantial energy ties, including Russian gas supplies and the Rosatom-led Paks II nuclear project. Hungary has continued to favor energy cooperation and has resisted some EU measures affecting Russian interests. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has nevertheless intensified the conflict between Moscow’s policies and Hungary’s security commitments as an EU and NATO member.
Areas of tension
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine conflicts with Hungary’s security interests and its commitments as an EU and NATO member.
- Hungary’s opposition to or pursuit of exemptions from some EU measures has created friction around the European response to Russia.
Key developments
Hungary and Russia agreed to expand the Paks nuclear power plant with two Rosatom-built reactors, with Russian financing.
Hungary signed a long-term gas supply agreement with Gazprom, maintaining a major energy link with Russia.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, intensifying the conflict between Russian policy and Hungary’s European security commitments.
Major uncertainties
- The future scope and implementation of the Paks II project remain uncertain.
- The extent to which Hungary will continue relying on Russian energy is unclear.