“We are grateful for this decision, which guarantees Hungary's energy security,” he wrote.
A major outcome of today's meeting between President @realDonaldTrump and @PM_ViktorOrban: the United States has granted Hungary a full and unlimited exemption from sanctions on oil and gas. We are grateful for this decision, which guarantees Hungary's energy security.
— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) November 7, 2025
The next day, Szijjarto's statement was corrected by Reuters, citing an email from an unnamed White House official.
As the agency noted, a representative of the US Administration emphasized that the exception is valid for one year. He added that Hungary is also diversifying its energy purchases and has committed to buying American liquefied natural gas under contracts worth about $600 million.
Szijjártó called the media report a fake.
“Some media claim that the exemption granted to Hungary from US sanctions on oil and gas is valid only for one year. This is fake news. Those who write about this were not present at the meeting. The exception is permanent and valid for an indefinite period of time,” wrote the head of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry in H.
Some media claim that the US exemption granted to Hungary from sanctions on oil and gas is only for one year. Fake news. Those who wrote this were not in the room. The exemption is permanent for an indefinite period.
— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) November 8, 2025
Context
Among EU countries, Hungary and Slovakia (which are landlocked) still buy Russian oil. On October 20, the EU Council supported a complete rejection of oil and gas from the Russian Federation, but these two countries were against it.
On October 22, the US Treasury imposed sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, explaining that the illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to end the war in Ukraine, which the Americans called “senseless.” US President Donald Trump expressed hope that this would encourage Putin to negotiate.
On the same day, Orban said his government was looking for a way to circumvent US sanctions.
Orban, after a meeting at the White House on November 7, said that he had obtained from Trump an exemption from US sanctions regarding the supply of Russian fuel through the Druzhba oil pipeline and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.
On October 26, The Guardian wrote that the European Union remains the main buyer of Russian pipeline gas (35%). Thus, the largest importers of Russian gas to the EU in September were Hungary (purchased for €393 million) and Slovakia (€207 million).
