US blow to Viktor Orban. A group of senators wants to force Trump to impose sanctions on Hungary
A group of US senators from both parties announced that they are preparing a bill to impose sanctions on senior Hungarian officials involved in obstructing aid to Ukraine, the Financial Times reveals.
If passed, the “Block Putin” law would require President Donald Trump to impose financial sanctions and visa bans on Hungarian government officials involved in purchases of Russian oil and gas and those who tried to block support for Ukraine.
The draft law, consulted by the FT, does not explicitly mention Orbán as a target of sanctions. The Trump administration is tasked with determining which Hungarian officials were involved in blocking aid to Ukraine and continuing the country's dependence on Russian energy, a congressional aide said.
The introduction of the bill comes after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán blocked a €90bn EU loan to Ukraine. Orbán, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has accused Kiev of disrupting the flow of Moscow's oil to Hungary by blocking repairs to the Drujba pipeline, which runs through Ukraine.
All these developments come before the parliamentary elections on April 12, which represent the Hungarian prime minister's most difficult test.
Opinion polls show that Orbán, who has been prime minister since 2010, is on the verge of losing power. The opposition Tisza party had a lead of 23 percentage points on Wednesday, according to Median polls. Pro-government polls show a slight lead for Fidesz, the ruling party.
A bipartisan initiative
Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Thom Tillis, co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, are set to introduce the legislation this week. The two spoke openly about Europe's continued dependence on Russian energy.
“The United States and our allies must remain united in supporting Ukraine and cutting off the revenue streams that fuel Putin's war,” Tillis said.
“This bill holds senior Hungarian officials accountable while providing a clear path for Hungary to align with its allies, end dependence on Russian energy and stop obstruction of support to Ukraine,” he added.
Trump is close to Orbán and supported his re-election bid. Politico reported Wednesday that preparations are being made for US Vice President JD Vance to visit Hungary days before the election.
