Overview
- Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó called the exemption “unlimited,” while a White House official told AFP it is a one‑year derogation.
- Multiple outlets report Budapest agreed to buy about $600 million of U.S. liquefied natural gas as part of the arrangement.
- AFP and other reports say the U.S. administration also committed to close Szabad Europa, a U.S.-funded Hungarian‑language outlet, a claim not uniformly confirmed.
- The move marks a notable departure from October U.S. sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil and raises questions about coordination with European efforts to pressure Russia.
- Hungary remains heavily reliant on Russian crude—reported at roughly 86% of imports in 2024—and its landlocked status was cited by President Trump as a reason for the exception, as he praised Orbán and urged the EU to “respect” Hungary.