Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has revealed that two EU member states plan to launch a joint legal challenge against Brussels over the bloc’s proposed ban on Russian energy imports, saying the measure violates national sovereignty and threatens Europe’s energy security during winter.
Szijjártó, speaking at a press briefing in Budapest, declined to name the two countries preparing the lawsuit but said the challenge would argue that the EU overstepped its authority by imposing restrictions that directly affect domestic supply decisions. “Energy policy is a national competence,” he insisted, calling the proposed ban “ideologically driven” and “economically destructive.”
The European Commission has been pushing for a phased elimination of Russian gas, oil, and liquefied natural gas as part of its broader sanctions framework targeting Moscow’s military actions. Several Western EU states support the measure, arguing that dependence on Russian energy undermines the union’s strategic autonomy.
However, Central and Eastern European countries—many of which rely heavily on Russian pipeline gas—warn that the ban is unrealistic without guaranteed alternative supply routes. Szijjártó emphasized that certain EU states “simply cannot secure their needs through other sources in the short term,” especially amid global LNG shortages and rising winter demand.
He accused Brussels of “forcing countries into energy insecurity,” arguing that sanctions have hurt European economies more than Russia’s. “It is irresponsible to jeopardize households, industry, and critical infrastructure,” Szijjártó said. “National governments must retain the right to decide how they source energy.”
EU officials dismissed the criticism, saying the bloc must remain united in responding to Russia’s actions. Commission spokespersons stressed that the proposed energy transition includes support funds and flexibility mechanisms for vulnerable states.
Diplomats say the lawsuit, if filed, would escalate tensions within the union at a time when political divisions over Ukraine, defense spending, and migration policy are widening. Several EU states privately acknowledge concern that internal disputes could weaken the bloc’s negotiating position on global energy markets.
Energy analysts believe the legal challenge may delay the ban’s implementation but unlikely overturn it entirely. However, the case could reinforce divisions between Western and Central European capitals, with Hungary frequently leading efforts to resist sanctions against Russia.
Szijjártó insisted that the lawsuit is “not political but practical,” declaring that energy access must remain an apolitical issue. He warned that the EU is risking “long-term destabilization” if it continues policies that fail to consider economic and geographic realities.
