Russian oil sanctions exemption for Hungary possible Trump

RT.com
08 Nov 2025, 02:06 GMT+10

The US president has also said he would still like a summit with Russias leader in Budapest

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that a possible exemption for Hungary from sanctions on Russian oil is possible due to the country's reliance on it.

"We're looking at it because it's very difficult for him to get the oil and gas from other areas," Trump told reporters during a meeting with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the White House.

"It's a big country, but they don't have sea," Trump added. "They don't have the ports. And so they have a difficult problem."

Last month, the US imposed sanctions on two of Russia's largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, both of which continue to export energy products to Hungary and Slovakia. Budapest has said it wanted an exemption from the sanctions because it claims to have no other viable source for the oil. Orban himself has called the sanctions a "mistake."

The Hungarian PM has been one of the most outspoken European leaders against the sanctions, arguing they would only cripple his country's energy capacities.

READ MORE: Orban heads to meet Trump: How conservative allies are repairing Biden-era damage

Europe has already faced sharp energy price spikes since cutting Russian fuel imports after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The shift away from a longtime supplier has fueled higher industrial costs and debates over EU energy independence. Moscow has accused Western governments of politicizing energy markets and driving Europe toward costly, unreliable alternatives.

(RT.com)

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