US granted Hungary sanctions waiver against Russia after warm Trump-Orban meeting - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
The United States granted Hungary a one-year waiver from sanctions for using Russian oil and gas after Prime Minister Orban's meeting with President Trump. Hungary pledged to purchase approximately $600 million worth of liquefied natural gas from the US.
The United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions for its use of Russian oil and gas, a White House official said on Friday, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pressed for the deferral during a friendly meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Details
Last month, Trump imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft, threatening further sanctions against companies in countries that buy oil from these companies.
Orbán, a long-time ally of Trump, met him at the White House on Friday for their first bilateral meeting since the Republican's return to power. He explained why his country needs to use Russian oil, while Trump is pressuring Europe to stop doing so.
Orbán stated that this issue is vital for Hungary, which is a European country, and promised to outline "the consequences for the Hungarian people and the Hungarian economy if they do not receive oil and gas from Russia."
Trump, seeking to pressure Moscow to end the war with Ukraine, appeared sympathetic to Orbán's position, the publication writes.
"We're looking at it because it's a totally different thing for him to get oil and gas from other regions," Trump said. "As you know, they don't have the advantage of being landlocked. It's a big country, a great country, but they don't have a sea. They don't have ports."
"But many European countries buy oil and gas from Russia, and have been doing so for many years," Trump added. "And I asked, 'What does that even mean?'"
A White House official noted that, in addition to the sanctions waiver, Hungary committed to purchasing liquefied natural gas from the United States under contracts worth approximately $600 million.
Hungary has maintained its dependence on Russian energy since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, drawing criticism from a number of European Union and NATO countries.
International Monetary Fund data shows that in 2024, Hungary was 74% dependent on Russia for gas and 86% for oil, warning that a complete cessation of Russian natural gas supplies across the EU could lead to losses in Hungary exceeding 4% of GDP.
The parties also discussed the war with Ukraine.
Last month, Trump said he would meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in the Hungarian capital, but the meeting was postponed after Russia rejected a ceasefire.
On Friday, Trump said that Russia simply does not want to stop fighting. "The main problem is that they don't want to stop yet. And I think they will," he said.
The US President asked Orbán if he thought Ukraine could win the war. "A miracle can happen," Orbán replied.
Economic cooperation
The expansion of economic cooperation between the US and Hungary was also a topic of discussion. Orbán predicted a "golden age" in relations between the two countries and emphasized the importance of criticizing President Joe Biden's administration – "a sure way to win over Trump, who continues to frequently use Biden as a foil," the publication writes.
The Hungarian leader, who faces elections in 2026, has maintained a strong personal relationship with Trump for years, including on the issue of shared tough immigration policies. On Friday, Trump expressed his support for Orbán in the elections.
"He hasn't made mistakes on immigration. That's why he's respected by everyone, some people love him... I like him and I respect him, I'm his double," Trump said. "That's how Hungary behaves. It's led correctly, and that's why he will achieve great success in the upcoming elections."
Last year, the EU's highest court ruled that Hungary must pay a fine of 200 million euros (216 million US dollars) for failing to amend its policies on the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers at the border. The country must also pay a daily fine of one million euros until these measures are fully implemented.
Orbán mentioned the fine during his meeting with Trump but stated that Hungary would resolve internal European disputes independently.
A tangible sign of improved relations between Hungary and the US under the Trump administration was that last month, the US fully restored Hungary's status in its visa waiver program.
Hungary opposed the European Commission's plans to gradually phase out all Russian gas and LNG imports to the EU by the end of 2027, which exacerbated disagreements with Brussels over relations with Moscow.
Rating agency S&P noted that Hungary's economy is one of the most energy-intensive in Europe, and its domestic refineries are built to process Russian Urals crude oil.
Although the agency stated that gas supplies from Azerbaijan and Qatar could help replace Russian supplies, it warned that Hungary's budget and external accounts remain vulnerable to energy shocks.