Orbán to meet with Trump next week, discuss US sanctions on Russian oil – media
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the second half of next week to "try to shield Hungary from the impact of US sanctions on Russian oil," Bloomberg said, citing Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
"Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he'll meet US President Donald Trump to try to shield Hungary from the impact of US sanctions on Russian oil. Hungary depends on Moscow for the bulk of its oil and gas imports. Unlike many of its European Union neighbors, which have worked to cut reliance on Russian energy following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Hungary has since ramped up its purchases," the newspaper said on Monday.
This dependence could now pose a threat to Hungary's energy security after the United States imposed sanctions on Russia's largest oil producers on October 23 in an attempt to engage Vladimir Putin in talks over Ukraine. The EU also decided to impose a complete ban on transactions with two major Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Gazprom Neft, and to ban LNG imports from 2027.
According to Bloomberg, Szijjarto told reporters in Budapest on Monday that this week they are assessing the exact legal and physical impact of these U.S. sanctions. If necessary, the prime minister will be able to discuss this issue personally next week in Washington. However, Szijjarto did not give an exact date.
"The European Union means nothing. I will be in Washington soon to discuss this with President Trump," Orbán said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Monday during a visit to Rome. "We will try to find a way out, especially for Hungary."
Hungary's government has been trying to convince the US administration that, due to its lack of access to the sea, the country has no choice but to buy Russian oil. Orbán has consistently downplayed the importance of an alternative pipeline through Croatia, citing higher costs and capacity problems.
