BUDAPEST, August 24. /TASS/. A new long-term contract on supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary can be signed with Gazprom this fall and will enable strengthening the national energy security, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday at a joint press conference after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Our long-term contract on natural gas supplies from Russia will expire soon and we are ready to make a new long-term agreement with Gazprom," the Foreign Minister said. "We are now at the closing stage of preparation of this document and we will discuss the last details on Monday in St. Petersburg with chief executive of Gazprom Alexei Miller. I believe we will be able to enter into the 15-year long-term agreement with good, acceptable conditions, to support the national energy security," Szijjarto noted.

Disputes around the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project highlighted presence of double standards in Europe, which still depends on deliveries of energy resources from Russia to a considerable degree, the Minister said. Budapest made the right choice in favor of the gas supply route through Serbia, Szijjarto noted. "This will provide us with 8.5 bln cubic meters of gas. Hungary will announce a tender for gas transport capacity booking in September," he added.