Deal reached for new non-Russian power source for Europe

The deal comes as Hungary, which has lobbied heavily against EU sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine, is seeking additional sources for fossil fuels to reduce its heavy dependence on Russian oil and gas.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban with a screen showing the countries that signed a strategic energy partnership (Vadim Ghirda/AP)

The leaders of Hungary, Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan finalised an agreement on Saturday on an undersea electricity connector that could become a new power source for the EU amid a crunch in energy supplies caused by the war in Ukraine.

The agreement involves a cable running beneath the Black Sea that would link Azerbaijan to Hungary via Georgia and Romania.