Belarus to Assist Hungary in Construction of Paks II Nuclear Power Plant in Partnership with Rosatom

On May 29, 2024, the Hungarian government signed an agreement with Belarus to assist in the construction of the "Paks II" nuclear power plant, a project being undertaken by the Russian state corporation Rosatom. This announcement was made in Minsk by the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

Szijjarto highlighted the significance of the agreement, stating, "Today's cooperation agreement in the field of nuclear energy is crucial as it allows us to leverage the experience Belarus has gained in building reactors with similar technology." However, he did not specify the details of how Belarus would assist in the construction process.

The original Paks station, constructed in the 1980s, operates on Russian nuclear fuel and currently provides a third of the electricity consumed in Hungary with its four VVER-440 reactors. In 2014, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached an agreement on the construction of new reactor blocks at the site. Russia has provided a loan exceeding 10 billion euros, covering over 80% of the construction costs.

The Hungarian government anticipates that the two new blocks will become operational in the early 2030s. Meanwhile, Szijjarto also commented on the readiness of some NATO member states in Europe to send troops to Ukraine for training Ukrainian soldiers, expressing his disapproval: "I find it reprehensible that EU, NATO countries are sending soldiers to Ukraine," he stated.

This development reflects the ongoing geopolitical dynamics in the region, where energy security and military engagements continue to intertwine.