Poland can help Hungary diversify energy supplies says minister

Poland could help Hungary diversify its energy sources, a Polish minister said on Friday.

Hungary depends on Russia for about 85 percent of its gas supplies, and this dependency has raised concerns in Europe of Russian influence over the country.

Marcin Przydacz, a deputy foreign minister, told PAP that a proposal on energy security was put forward by Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland's prime minister, at Thursday's summit of the Visegrad Group countries (Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary) in Kosice, Slovakia.

Przydacz said the offer was among the arguments that convinced Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to agree to Nato membership for Sweden and Finland.

"Hungary wants to diversify its energy supply. Poland could be a provider of energy security for our southern neighbours," Przydacz said.

Hungary and Turkey are the only Nato members who have not yet ratified the accession of Sweden and Finland to the Alliance. Both countries, until now neutral, asked for admission to Nato in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February.