Russian oil is bothering Washington. The US increases pressure on Hungary to stop importing

The US is increasing pressure on Hungary to stop importing Russian oil, Bloomberg wrote on Monday. The topic of sanctions and oil is to be discussed during the meeting of the leaders of the US and Hungary, Donald Trump and Viktor Orban, in Washington.

The Hungarian prime minister, who is visiting Rome on Monday, told Italian media that he would meet with Trump to try to get sanctions lifted from Russia. He emphasized that Hungary is very dependent on Russian gas and oil.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced that Trump and Orban are to meet in Washington in the second half of next week. He did not provide a specific date.

As highlighted by Bloomberg, the government in Budapest is trying to convince the US administration that due to Hungary's geographical location, the country has no choice but to rely on Russian oil, despite the alternative oil pipeline connecting Hungary with the Adriatic Sea through Croatia. Trump, who is a close ally of Orban, has begun to embrace Orban's arguments in recent weeks.

In late September, Trump said that Hungary and Slovakia cannot stop buying Russian oil and that he did not want these countries to be blamed for it. He made a similar comment about Hungary during an October meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. – Hungary is in a sense in a bind because it has one pipeline. It has been operating for many, many years (…) They have no sea (…) I talked to the great leader of Hungary and they have great difficulties with access to oil. I understand that, Trump explained.

However, it is not known what the US administration's position is now, after announcing sanctions against Russian oil companies last week.

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on Fox News on Sunday that Hungary, unlike many of its neighbors, has not prepared any plans or taken any active steps to limit imports of Russian oil. “So we will continue to work with them and we intend to work with their neighbors, such as Croatia, and other countries that can help them become independent,” he added.

From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)

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