The United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from U.S. sanctions for using Russian oil and gas, a White House official said on Friday, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pressed his case for a reprieve during a friendly meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington.
Last month, Trump imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft that carried the threat of further sanctions on entities in countries that buy oil from those firms.
Orbán, a long-time Trump ally, met with Trump at the White House on Friday for their first bilateral meeting since the Republican returned to power and explained why his country needed to use Russian oil at a time when Trump has been pressing Europe to stop doing so.
Orbán said the issue was vital for Hungary, which is a European country, and pledged to lay out "the consequences for the Hungarian people, and for the Hungarian economy, not to get oil and gas from Russia."
Trump, aiming to put pressure on Moscow to end its war with Ukraine, appeared sympathetic to Orbán's position.
"We're looking at it, because it's very different for him to get the oil and gas from other areas," Trump said.
"As you know, they don't have ... the advantage of having sea. It's a great country, it's a big country, but they don't have sea. They don't have the ports."
"But many European countries are buying oil and gas from Russia, and they have been for years," Trump added. "And I said, 'What's that all about?'"
The White House official noted that, in addition to the sanctions exemption, Hungary had committed to buying U.S. liquefied natural gas with contracts valued at some $600 million.
Hungary has maintained its reliance on Russian energy since the start of the 2022 conflict in Ukraine, prompting criticism from several European Union and NATO allies.
International Monetary Fund figures show Hungary relied on Russia for 74% of its gas and 86% of its oil in 2024, warning that an EU-wide cutoff of Russian natural gas alone could force output losses in Hungary exceeding 4% of GDP.
The two men also discussed Russia's war with Ukraine.
Trump said last month that he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Hungarian capital, but the meeting was put on hold after Russia rejected a ceasefire.
Trump on Friday said Russia simply did not want to stop fighting. "The basic dispute is they just don't want to stop yet. And I think they will," he said.
The president asked Orbán if he thought Ukraine could win the war. A "miracle can happen," Orbán responded.
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has accused World Cup co-host the United States of treating his team "very unfairly", saying logistical restrictions ha...
A tanker reported being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Britain's maritime security agency said, after the United States a...
At least three paramilitary troops and three suspected militants were killed after heavily armed attackers stormed a Rangers security compound in Paki...
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade....
The death toll in the twin earthquakes which rocked Venezuela earlier this week has risen to 1,430, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Saturday. Ano...
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, with two U.S. officials accusing Iran of the attack.
At least 188 people have been killed and 1,520 injured after powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said. The quakes caused widespread destruction around Caracas, collapsing buildings and trapping residents, with fears the toll could rise significantly.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria, handing the White House another victory on immigration.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
Japan remained on high alert Saturday as Typhoon Mekkhala approached the eastern coast after Typhoon Higos weakened into a tropical depression. Authorities warned of continued heavy rain, flooding, and landslides, according to media reports.
A tanker reported being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Britain's maritime security agency said, after the United States and Iran each launched strikes in the worst escalation since they signed their interim peace deal.
ANEWZ can exclusively report that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Azerbaijan on 1 July.
At least three paramilitary troops and three suspected militants were killed after heavily armed attackers stormed a Rangers security compound in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, authorities said.
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade.
The death toll in the twin earthquakes which rocked Venezuela earlier this week has risen to 1,430, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Saturday. Another 3,200 people were injured and 3,100 left homeless by the disaster, he added on state television.
Australia said it would double the maximum penalty it can impose on tech firms found to have failed to uphold a groundbreaking social media ban for children, as evidence mounts that the ban has had little effect on teen use.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment