Alternative gas supply timelines and pipeline access
Hungary says alternatives could replace Russian gas within a year. It also says Hungary could technically replace Russian natural gas within a year, pointing to a potentially important shift in Central and Southeast European gas flows as Budapest increases access to alternative supply routes. Hungary has sufficient pipeline infrastructure to source gas from neighbouring countries. It could secure non-Russian supply by October 2027.
MVM diversification plans and existing Gazprom volumes
State-owned MVM has signed diversification agreements covering LNG delivered through Croatia’s Krk terminal and additional supplies from Western companies. The company retains a long-term Gazprom contract for up to 4.5 bcm a year. Most Russian volumes arrive through TurkStream and its Southeast European extensions.
Oil transit discussions involving Adria and Druzhba
Hungary is also discussing greater use of Croatia’s Adria oil pipeline as an alternative to Russian crude delivered through Druzhba. A diversification push would increase the strategic value of Croatia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia as transit or supply markets. The commercial issue is increasingly the delivered price of alternative gas rather than the physical availability of alternative routes.
