Overview
- Trump told reporters that Viktor Orban requested an exemption from the new U.S. sanctions on Russia’s oil sector, adding that no waiver has been approved.
- The U.S. recently sanctioned Rosneft, Lukoil, and dozens of subsidiaries, exposing foreign buyers to secondary‑sanctions risks, with measures set to take full effect on November 21.
- Orban plans to visit Washington next week for a bilateral meeting and has signaled he will argue for exemptions tied to Hungary’s energy security.
- U.S. officials, including the ambassador to NATO, are urging Hungary to produce a plan to reduce reliance on Russian oil and have offered to coordinate alternatives with neighboring countries such as Croatia.
- Hungary continues to import Russian pipeline oil and has increased its share in the national energy mix while arguing that rapid replacement would trigger an economic crisis.