He said this would make “us able to ensure Hungary’s gas supply after 2019-20”. Orban said that with South Stream pipeline project scrapped and Russia not intending to supply Europe with gas via Ukraine by the end of the decade, alternative routes need to be found.

He added that “Hungary is in fact blocked” by Romania and Croatia, as those countries have not completed the necessary interconnectors. “Russia has decided to channel its gas to Turkey,” Orbán said, insisting that Hungary has very limited room for maneuver in such a scenario.