Hungary says its exemption from US sanctions against Russian oil and gas is not temporary: “It applies indefinitely”

Hungary claimed on Saturday that it had obtained an indefinite exemption from US sanctions aimed at preventing Russian oil and gas imports, thus contradicting a White House representative who had said on Friday that this exemption only applies for one year, notes Agerpres.

US President Donald Trump imposed direct sanctions against Russia last month, targeting oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil in particular, a decision that threatens entities that purchase Russian oil from these companies with new sanctions.

“The Prime Minister was clear. He agreed with the US President that we have obtained an unlimited exemption from sanctions. There are no sanctions on oil and gas shipments to Hungary, for an unlimited period,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote on Facebook.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a longtime Trump ally, met the US president at the White House on Friday, their first bilateral meeting since the Republican's return to power.

After the meeting, a White House official announced that Washington had granted Hungary a one-year waiver from US sanctions aimed at preventing imports of Russian oil and gas.

He specified, however, that Hungary has committed to buy American liquefied natural gas (LNG) under contracts totaling approximately $600 million.

Hungary has maintained its dependence on Russian gas and oil even after the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, drawing harsh criticism from several EU and NATO countries.

IMF data shows that in 2024 Hungary imported 74% of its gas and 86% of its oil needs from Russia.