Overview
- After a White House meeting, President Donald Trump said he is reviewing Hungary’s request for relief from new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy, noting the country’s landlocked status.
- Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, citing state agency MTI, said Hungary obtained a “full exemption” for the Druzhba oil link and Turkish Stream gas pipeline, though U.S. confirmation has not been issued.
- The October U.S. sanctions targeted Lukoil and Rosneft and include potential secondary penalties for non‑U.S. buyers that continue dealings with designated Russian firms.
- A bipartisan group of ten U.S. senators urged Budapest to end Russian oil and gas imports by 2027, aligning with EU plans to lift pipeline exceptions by that date.
- Hungary’s MOL said it could increase use of the Adriatic pipeline to meet roughly 80% of refinery needs, but warned of technical risks and higher logistics costs.