The relevant committee of the European Parliament would ban imports of Russian gas and oil into the EU from 1 January 2026. The measure would have serious consequences for Hungary: it would lead to gasoline prices above 1,000 forints and a general energy crisis. Two-thirds of Hungarian adults therefore do not support the embargo.

Since Ursula von der Leyen identified a complete ban on Russian energy sources as a priority goal, increasingly radical proposals have been coming to light. Since the announcement of the first RePowerEU package, which would gradually phase out Russian imports by the end of 2027, the European Commission’s energy commissioner has indicated that he would push for permanent sanctions, meaning that regardless of how the war unfolds, he would never want to see a single Russian oil or gas molecule on the European market again.

Brussels removed liquefied natural gas from its original plans and agreed with Member States on a one-year earlier deadline for the 19th sanctions package. The relevant committee of the European Parliament went even further: it gave its approval to a motion that would ban all imports of Russian oil and gas from 1 January 2026. This effort also has representatives in Hungarian politics: the Tisza Party, for example, has included Brussels’ goal in its manifesto and has also taken a stand against Russian energy.

The ban would cause serious damage to Hungarian households. The loss of these imports would lead to a drastic increase in market prices: the price of gasoline and diesel would rise above 1,000 forints per litre, while household electricity and gas prices would increase to three and a half times their current levels. The latter would result in additional costs of more than half a million forints per year for an average household. Many people would not be able to afford such a large amount, which would significantly increase the proportion of those struggling to pay their heating bills.

A ban on Russian oil and gas would spill over into the economy as a whole and cause an extensive energy crisis: it would generate nearly 10% additional inflationary pressure and set back Hungary’s economic performance by 4% in the following year. The amount would be roughly equivalent to what Hungary currently spends on families, or half of what it spends on pensions.

In light of the damage caused by the embargo, it is understandable that the majority of the Hungarian adult population rejects the measure. Századvég’s October survey shows that two-thirds oppose and only a quarter support the 2026 ban on Russian oil and gas.

• Methodology

CATI method, n = 1,000, among Hungarian adults, data collection: September 2025