US President Donald Trump has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from sanctions on Russian oil and gas, a White House official confirmed to BBC News.
The decision follows discussions with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close Trump ally, who argued that his landlocked nation faces difficulties sourcing energy from elsewhere. Speaking during Orban’s visit to the White House on November 7, Trump said an exemption was being considered because “it’s very difficult for him [Orban] to get the oil and gas from other areas”.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto later announced on X that Budapest had received “a full and unlimited exemption from sanctions on oil and gas”, although officials clarified it was limited to one year. Hungary has agreed to purchase several hundred million dollars of US natural gas under the arrangement.
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
Orban Defends Russian Energy Ties
The move represents a major win for Orban, who had warned sanctions would devastate Hungary’s economy. Trump acknowledged Hungary’s logistical constraints but criticised other European countries for continuing to buy Russian energy despite not being landlocked.
Orban defended his energy ties with Russia, saying pipelines are a “physical reality” rather than political, and has promised voters continued access to affordable Russian energy ahead of Hungary’s elections in April.
Discussions on Ukraine and Trade
The leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine.
Trump said, “He [Orban] understands Putin and knows him very well… I think that Viktor feels we’re going to get that war ended in the not-too-distant future.”
Orban added, “All the other governments prefer to continue the war because many of them think that Ukraine can win on the front line, which is a misunderstanding of the situation,” and suggested that only Hungary and the US genuinely seek peace.
Trump and Orban’s meeting also touched on Hungary’s export-driven car industry, which has been affected by US tariffs on European goods, and Trump praised Orban for his stance on immigration despite tensions with EU leaders.
Kursiv also reports that Swiss commodity trader Gunvor announced on November 6, that it has withdrawn its offer to acquire the foreign assets of Russian energy giant Lukoil, following opposition from the US Treasury. The agency described Gunvor as a «puppet» of Russia and signalled Washington would not approve the transaction.
