Overview
- President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are set to meet at the White House on November 7 with Hungary’s block on Ukraine’s EU accession high on the agenda.
- Orbán says he will seek U.S. exemptions from new Treasury sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil that carry secondary risks for buyers and are due to take full effect on November 21.
- Hungary plans to pursue economic and energy agreements with Washington, including potential supplies of American nuclear fuel for the Paks plant, to bolster its energy security.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he asked Trump to press Orbán, and Ukraine’s EU integration chief says there is an expectation the talks could help lift the veto.
- Analysts contend Trump can condition any relief or investment on Budapest ending its obstruction, as Hungary’s reliance on Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline has increased significantly since 2022.