Szilard Koszticak / EPA
American sanctions on Russian oil promise to create some discomfort in the long friendship between Orbán and Trump, given Hungary’s energy dependence on Moscow.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced on Friday that his government is looking for ways to circumvent new US sanctions to Russian oil and gas companies.
The statement comes after Donald Trump’s decision earlier this week to impose sweeping restrictions on Lukoil and state-owned company Rosneft, the first significant sanctions of his administration.
Speaking to the state radio program Bom Dia Hungary, Orbán said that Budapest was “work on how to circumvent these sanctions” in coordination with executives at MOL, Hungary’s national energy company.
Orbán claims that the measures threaten Hungary’s energy security, as the country depends heavily on Russian supplies. “Anyone who wants reductions in public service prices must defend Hungary’s right to buy oil and gas from Russia,” Orbán declared, framing the issue as a matter of national economic survival.
The new US sanctions are expected to severely restrict Russia’s ability to export oil to Europe, potentially forcing Moscow to shut down key pipelines. This would leave Hungary, a landlocked nation with limited access to alternative routesespecially weakened in terms of fuel supply, with Orbán promising that “the battle is not over yet”.
US sanctions could sour relations between Hungarian and American leaders, who are long-time allies and have exchanged praise since Trump’s first term in the White House. In 2023, the Hungarian Prime Minister stated that “Trump is the one who can save the western world and probably all of humanity.” During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump praised Orbán highly, describing him as “a fantastic leader” and a “tough man”.
Hungary has long distanced itself from the European Union’s broader energy policy and clashes between Orbán and Brussels have been constant on various issues. Although most EU members have drastically reduced imports of Russian fossil fuels since the invasion of Ukraine, Budapest continues to depend on Moscow, arguing that its economy would collapse with higher energy prices. Neighboring Slovakia has adopted a similar stance, maintaining strong energy ties with the Kremlin.
The Hungarian Prime Minister has repeatedly justified his position by citing geography, as Hungary does not have access to seaports and is therefore dependent on Russian oil pipelines. However, critics argue that there are alternatives. Croatia, for example, has claimed that it could meet the energy needs of Hungary and Slovakia through the Adria pipeline and its LNG infrastructure.
Orbán’s statements are likely to deepen differences between Hungary and its Western allies, coming at a time when Brussels and Washington are trying to toughen sanctions against Russia. If Budapest pushes ahead with efforts to circumvent the restrictions, it could face diplomatic repercussions and renewed scrutiny within the European Union, where its close ties with Moscow have long been a point of contention.
