Szijjarto said the penalties imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act have been removed, allowing work to resume on key components shipped from Russia and France.

Rosatom-Led Project Gains Momentum

The expansion, carried out with Russia’s state nuclear firm Rosatom, had faced multiple delays amid legal disputes and cost overruns. “Construction of the major pieces of equipment for the Paks nuclear plant is proceeding in Russia and France,” Szijjarto added.

EU Tensions Expected to Persist

Despite the breakthrough, Szijjarto warned that disputes with European Union partners over Hungary’s energy purchases are likely to continue. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has frequently clashed with Brussels over deepening ties with Moscow.

Hungary’s Paks plant, its sole nuclear facility since 1982, is central to Orbán’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions and cut reliance on fossil fuels. The U.S. sanctions, in place since 2021, had held up financing and material deliveries. Orbán’s government, returned to power in 2022, has balanced EU membership ambitions with closer relations with Russia amid broader geopolitical tensions.