Hungary, reliant on Russia for energy but seen by the West as drawing closer to Moscow, wants to store more Russian natural gas after a major pipeline plan was canceled, its foreign minister said.
Peter Szijjarto said he had proposed to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak that Russia should store more gas in Hungary's underground reservoirs, following the cancellation of Russia's South Stream gas export plan.
"With South Stream being canceled we now have to look for new ways, how to get new sources and new routes into Central Europe," he said.
Gazprom has already stored up to 700 million cubic meters of gas in Hungary since last year.
"The more gas stored here, the better for us — economically and regarding energy security," Szijjarto said, adding that no deal has yet been reached on the issue.