© AFP 2021 / JOHN RANDERIS HANSEN
Szijjarto and Gazprom Head Alexey Miller discussed gas deliveries to Hungary during a meeting in Saint Petersburg on 30 August.
The Hungarian minister said that Budapest will purchase 4.5 billion cubic metres (158 billion cubic feet) of gas annually, including 3.5 billion via Serbia and one billion via Austria, according to Bloomberg. Supplies under the new contract will begin on 1 October. Szijjarto also said that the contract will be signed in late September.
In 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Hungary is one of Russia's priority partners for the gas transit to Europe through the existing routes as well as new routes.
Comment: Hungary and Russia have quite a few conservative views in common that have drawn ire from the West, but with Hungary being part of the EU it is more vulnerable to the pressure to conform, however it's likely that a significant energy deal with Russia will make it a little more difficult for the establishment to exert that pressure: