Russian President Says Moscow May Redirect Energy Supplies to “Reliable Partners” Instead of Waiting for EU Ban.
If Brussels plans to quit Russian gas anyway, Putin asks: why wait?
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow could halt gas supplies to the European Union preemptively rather than wait for Brussels to formally phase out Russian energy imports.
Speaking after hosting Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at the Kremlin, Putin suggested Russia may be better off withdrawing from the European market now and shifting exports to what he called “reliable partners.”
“If we’re going to get shut off in a month or two, we’d be better off stopping now and moving to countries that are reliable partners,” Putin said in remarks broadcast by Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin. He added that no final decision had been made but that he would instruct the government and energy companies to examine the option.
Redirecting Energy to Emerging Markets
Putin framed the potential move as a pragmatic response to the EU’s declared goal of eliminating Russian fossil fuel imports. Moscow, he argued, should deepen ties with “emerging markets” instead of remaining in a market it expects to lose.
He also defended Russia’s long-standing energy relationship with Europe, saying Moscow “has always been and remains a reliable energy supplier,” while blaming the bloc’s energy crisis on what he described as years of “misguided policies.”
At the same time, Putin signaled that supplies to select Eastern European states would continue. He specifically mentioned Slovakia and Hungary as countries Moscow views as dependable partners.
Following the meeting, Szijjarto said Hungary had secured guarantees for continued oil and gas deliveries and would explore alternative transport routes if pipelines are disrupted. That includes possible maritime options should overland supply lines face obstacles.
Pipeline Disputes and Political Fallout
Hungary and Slovakia have recently faced interruptions in crude deliveries through the Druzhba oil pipeline, after Ukraine shut down the route in January. Kyiv said the artery had been damaged by Russian strikes, a claim Moscow denied. Budapest and Bratislava accused Ukraine of using energy transit as political leverage.
The dispute has already spilled into EU politics. Slovakia ended an emergency electricity supply scheme for Ukraine, while Hungary vetoed a proposed €90 billion EU loan for Kyiv and blocked a new sanctions package targeting Russia.
If Russia were to cut gas flows abruptly, it would mark another escalation in Europe’s long-running energy standoff with Moscow. Although EU dependence on Russian gas has fallen sharply since 2022, several member states remain exposed to supply shocks — particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.
Whether Putin’s comments amount to strategic signaling or a genuine policy shift remains unclear. But the message to Brussels was unmistakable: Moscow is prepared to move first.
