Hungary could fully secure its gas supplies from non-Russian sources by October 2027, Economy and Energy Minister István Kapitány said.

Kapitány said Hungary is prepared for the coming winter, with sufficient gas reserves and no current problems with physical supplies, according to rbc.ru.

He argued that the country’s reliance on Russian gas has not resulted from an inability to obtain gas elsewhere, but rather because Russian supplies had been the most economically advantageous option so far.

The minister did not disclose how much Hungary’s dependence on Russian gas imports has declined in recent months. However, he said that, if current expectations hold, Hungary’s gas supply could be covered by non-Russian sources by the EU’s target date for phasing out Russian gas.

Under the EU’s adopted rules, Russian LNG imports under long-term contracts are due to be prohibited from January 1, 2027, while the ban on long-term Russian pipeline gas contracts is scheduled to take effect on September 30, 2027, subject to gas-storage conditions, and no later than November 1, 2027.

Kapitány said Hungary is also looking at ways to reduce its dependence on Russian crude oil.

The minister said that Budapest is negotiating with Croatia over the use of the Adria oil pipeline at full capacity.

The Adria pipeline transports crude oil from the Omišalj port on Croatia’s Krk Island to Sisak, where the network connects toward Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Serbia.

Hungary currently receives Russian crude through the Druzhba pipeline, while Russian gas reaches the country via TurkStream and pipelines running through southeastern Europe.

Kapitány’s latest comments mark a shift from his earlier position. In May, he said Hungary did not plan to terminate its oil and gas contracts with Russia, while also seeking to diversify its energy supply sources.

Russia has continued to signal its willingness to maintain energy cooperation with European countries.

President Vladimir Putin said in March that Russia was ready to work with Europe on oil and gas supplies if European countries decided to resume cooperation.

“We have never refused; we are ready to work, but we need some signals from them that they also want to work,” Putin said at the time.

Hungary’s government is therefore facing two parallel challenges: maintaining secure energy supplies while preparing for the EU’s scheduled phase-out of Russian gas imports.