The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked Russia to extend the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline to his country and further into Europe.
Orban, who is on a visit to Moscow, broached this potential project during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. "It's no secret that Hungary wants the pipeline that's being built near the south of the country, to go through Hungary,” Orban said. The countries have also agreed a gas delivery service from Russia to Hungary for 2020.
The current agreement on the supply of Russian gas to Hungary expires in 2020. On the eve of talks between Putin and Orban, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Hungary expects to continue buying Russian gas after that period.
“I do not rule out that after the completion of the Turkish Stream, one of its land extensions could pass through Hungary,” Putin said after talks with Orban.
The Turkish Stream (aka TurkStream) was agreed by Russia and Turkey in October 2016. The first branch will deliver gas to Turkish consumers, while the second one will bring it to the countries in southern and south-eastern Europe. The European leg is expected to decrease Russia’s dependence on transit through Ukraine. Each of the lines has a maximum capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters a year.
In June, the Bulgaran Prime Minister Boyko Borissov asked Russia to extend the Turkish Stream to his country. Russia’s Gazprom is planning to extend the pipeline to Bulgaria, Hungary and Serbia.
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