Europe to return to Russian energy sooner or later - Orban

BRUSSELS. March 25 (Interfax) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Wednesday that he believes the European Union would inevitably return to purchasing energy from Russia.

"Sooner or later they [European leaders] have to turn back to Russia and we have to buy from there," Orban said in an interview published on the X social network.

"What we are doing to have sanctions on cheap Russian energy is just politically crazy" and also Europe's wrong strategy, he said.

At the same time, the West should sit down at the negotiating table with Russia, because it would not abandon its goals in Ukraine, he said.

"They will not give up that target, [...] and they will reach it by any means. So the question is how we can react on that. So it's better to react as soon as can by ready to be negotiating on peace that to continue the fight," he said.

It is necessary to "make a deal on the basis of reality" with Russia, Orban said, adding that the conflict has a negative impact on the economies of both Russia and the EU.