Orbán said in a video on Facebook ahead of the Prague summit of EU heads of state and government that some “weighty subjects” must be discussed at the meeting. “Are European countries going to have gas and electricity in the upcoming months,” he asked. Orbán said Hungary had previously fought successfully to receive an exemption from the embargo and sanctions on oil. In recent days, the country has also achieved exemption from new sanctions affecting nuclear energy and gas supplies, he added. The sanctions have resulted in “sky-rocketing” energy prices which have also affected Hungary, he said. “Prices that are nearly impossible to pay,” he added. “Russia has not at all fallen to its knees and European economies are bleeding to death. It is obvious that the policy of sanctions must be changed,” he said, adding that it was the main issue at stake at the meeting.
Orbán held a number of bilateral talks in Prague, including meetings with Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki, Czech President Milos Zeman and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.