US President Donald Trump says he will consider allowing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to buy Russian oil, in a waiver of sanctions intended to help end the Ukraine war.
Speaking on Friday during Orban’s visit to the White House, Trump said a concession could be made because “it’s very difficult for him [Orban] to get oil and gas out of other areas.
The comments come after the United States effectively blacklisted two of Russia’s largest oil companies last month, threatening sanctions on those who buy from them.
After the meeting, Hungary’s Foreign Minister wrote in X that the United States had granted Budapest “a full and unlimited exemption from oil and gas sanctions.”
Trump added that while Hungary faced unique logistical challenges, including access to a sea that could be used to extract oil, he was “very concerned” about other European countries that he said continued to buy Russian goods despite being landlocked.
Orban, who is one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe and has long resisted EU efforts to pressure Moscow over Ukraine, defended his energy ties with Russia, saying on Friday that the pipelines are neither “ideological” nor “political” but a “physical reality” due to a lack of ports.
He has been using his country’s heavy dependence on Russian oil and gas as a means to maintain his good relations with Moscow, as well as a platform on which he hopes to win re-election next April in Hungary. He has promised “cheap Russian energy” to voters.
Trump and Orban also discussed the war in Ukraine on Friday, their first formal talks since Trump returned to power, including the possibility of holding talks with Putin.
“He [Orban] “He understands Putin and knows him very well… I think Viktor feels that we are going to get that war over in the not-too-distant future,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, the Hungarian leader said that only his two nations really wanted peace in Ukraine.
“All other governments prefer to continue the war because many of them think that Ukraine can win on the front, which is a misunderstanding of the situation.”
Trump asked him: “So you would say that Ukraine can’t win that war?” To which Orban replied: “You know, a miracle can happen.”
Aside from the issue of oil and gas sanctions, Hungary’s export-driven auto industry has been hit by Trump’s tariffs on European goods, adding to an already weak economy.
Despite frequent clashes with EU leaders over migration, democracy and the rule of law, Trump urged Europe to “very, very much respect this leader because he’s been right on immigration.”
with additional reporting by Nick Thorpe
