In a significant diplomatic development, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that his country has secured a complete exemption from U.S. sanctions on the Russian energy sector following a meeting with President Donald Trump. Orban, a longstanding political ally of Trump, traveled to Washington seeking relief for Hungary’s reliance on Russian oil and gas, which is delivered via the TurkStream and Druzhba pipelines. A White House official later confirmed to Reuters that Hungary was granted a one-year exemption from these sanctions, a decision Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó hailed as critical for guaranteeing the nation’s „energy security.”
The exemption underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to make case-by-case concessions for allied nations, even amidst broader sanctions aimed at pressuring Moscow over its war in Ukraine. During their discussions, Trump expressed sympathy for Hungary’s geographical constraints, noting the country’s lack of direct sea access makes alternative energy sourcing difficult. This move stands in contrast to the administration’s broader disapproval of European purchases of Russian energy and has caused other nations, including allies like India, to reassess their own positions under the threat of U.S. punitive measures.
Beyond energy, the talks yielded an agreement for Hungary to diversify its nuclear fuel supply by purchasing from U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company for its Paks nuclear plant. However, Hungarian officials clarified that Budapest will continue to buy Russian nuclear fuel as well, maintaining a pragmatic balance between its new U.S. partnership and existing Russian energy ties. This multifaceted deal provides Orban with a substantial political and economic victory at home, where U.S. tariffs on the EU have previously strained Hungary’s economy.
The meeting also highlighted the ideological alignment between the two nationalist leaders, with Trump praising Orban’s stance on issues like immigration. Orban, often viewed as one of the European leaders most sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin, used the opportunity to critique the European Union’s approach to the Ukraine war, framing its goal of a total Ukrainian victory as unrealistic. This exemption solidifies a pattern of the Trump administration leveraging U.S. policy to support international political allies, while further positioning Hungary as a distinctive voice within the EU on relations with Russia.
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