Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wants an exemption from the oil sanctions

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has announced that he will request an exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil, as he believes Budapest is dependent on oil pipelines for its energy supply. He plans to raise this issue during his meeting with US President Donald Trump in November.

Orbán also acknowledged that Hungary remains interested in trading with Russia despite pressure from the US.

Trump's new sanctions target the most important players in the Russian oil market—Rosneft and Lukoil—in order to weaken the financing of the war in Ukraine.

The prime minister also admitted that he is negotiating possible solutions with the domestic company MOL. The United States has so far avoided tough energy measures, but Trump recently stated that it was time to act.

The sanctions were imposed shortly after the US president canceled the planned summit with Vladimir Putin.

Orbán believes that stronger relations with Washington could lead to a more comprehensive economic agreement that will mitigate the impact of the sanctions.

(reuters, lup)