WASHINGTON, United States — US President Donald Trump has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from sanctions targeting nations that import Russian oil and gas, a move seen as a diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Viktor Orban amid tensions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
A White House official confirmed the exemption to the BBC on Friday, shortly after Orban visited Washington. The announcement came weeks after the US blacklisted two of Russia’s largest oil firms and threatened to penalise any country or company buying from them.
During a joint briefing at the White House, President Trump said he understood Hungary’s unique energy challenges as a landlocked country heavily reliant on Russian pipelines. “It’s very difficult for him to get the oil and gas from other areas,” Trump said, suggesting that “an allowance might be made” for Budapest.
Following the meeting, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed on X that the US had granted Hungary “a full and unlimited exemption from sanctions on oil and gas” for one year.
The decision effectively shields Budapest from the sweeping restrictions designed to choke off Kremlin revenues and pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.
The exemption underscores Trump’s close relationship with Orban, a long-time ally whose nationalist and populist rhetoric mirrors the American president’s stance on immigration and sovereignty.
Orban has frequently resisted European Union efforts to isolate Russia, insisting that “pipelines are not ideological but physical realities.”
As part of the deal, Hungary will purchase several hundred million dollars’ worth of US natural gas, a gesture observers say could temper criticism from Washington’s European allies.
Nonetheless, the move is likely to cause friction within the EU, where most member states oppose any engagement that weakens the sanctions regime.
Trump defended his decision as pragmatic, noting that other European countries with sea access continued to import Russian commodities despite alternatives. “Hungary faces a very different situation,” he said. “They don’t have a sea to draw from. Others do—and yet they still buy from Russia.”
The two leaders also discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Trump hinting that Orban could play a role in future peace talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He understands Putin and knows him very well,” Trump said. “I think Viktor feels we’re going to get that war ended in the not-too-distant future.”
Orban, for his part, reiterated his call for an end to hostilities, claiming that only Hungary and the US genuinely want peace. “All the other governments prefer to continue the war because they believe Ukraine can win, which is a misunderstanding,” he said.
The exemption comes as Hungary grapples with economic headwinds, including US tariffs on European car exports and strained ties with Brussels over democratic and migration policies.
Still, Orban’s successful appeal to Trump is expected to boost his standing ahead of Hungary’s general elections next April, where he has campaigned on promises of stability and “cheap Russian energy.”
