US President Donald Trump stated that the United States will not grant an exemption regarding sanctions on the supply of Russian oil, despite a request from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In response to journalists’ questions on October 31, Trump emphasized that Hungary had made such a request, but it was not granted.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“He (Orbán – ed.) asked for an exemption, we did not provide it. He is my friend, he asked for an exemption.”
US Sanctions and Their Impact on Hungary’s Energy Security
On October 22, the US imposed a new package of sanctions against leading Russian oil companies – Rosneft, Lukoil, and more than thirty of their subsidiaries. The new restrictions automatically apply to all entities in which Rosneft or Lukoil hold a 50% or greater stake. Discussions are already underway in Georgia regarding whether Lukoil Georgia falls under these sanctions.
Hungary’s Dependence on Russian Oil
Hungary remains one of the few countries in the European Union that maintains a high dependence on the import of Russian energy resources – oil and gas. Unlike most EU neighbors, which have been making efforts to reduce this dependence since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Budapest has even increased its purchases of Russian energy resources.
This energy policy poses risks for Hungary, as new American sanctions against the largest Russian oil producers may complicate the country’s fuel supply. The US insists that these sanctions are intended to push Russia towards negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Budapest has attempted to convince the US administration that as a landlocked country, Hungary is limited in its choice of energy supply sources. Despite having a pipeline that connects the country to the Adriatic Sea via Croatia, the Hungarian government insists that alternative routes cannot fully replace Russian oil.