Energy security policy of Poland and Hungary in the context of the Russian Federation war with Ukraine. A comparative analysis

Abstract

The 2022 conflict between Russia and Ukraine highlighted the extent to which European Union member states rely on Russian energy resources. This article aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the energy security policies of Poland and Hungary during the energy crisis in Europe caused by the war in Ukraine between 2022 and 2023. To achieve the research purpose mentioned above, the following research questions were formulated: 1. What stance did Hungary and Poland take regarding the EU’s proposal for sanctions against the Russian Federation in the field of energy raw materials? 2. What actions did the governments of Hungary and Poland take to reduce their dependence on Russian energy raw materials? The following methods were used in the research: decision-making method, comparative method, analysis of the foundational research and statistical method. The analysis showed that the Polish government’s policy was focused on reducing its reliance on Russian energy imports and the need to find an alternative to eastern suppliers. The pro-Russian government of Hungary, on the other hand, was opposed to abandoning Russian energy resources and lacked a developed plan to shift away from them.