Hungary under scrutiny in Washington over Russia ties

Two US senators, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Thom Tillis, are seeking to tighten pressure on Hungary, accusing it of obstructing aid to Ukraine and maintaining close ties with Russia, the Financial Times reports.

The proposed ‘Block Putin’ bill would introduce sanctions against Hungarian officials, including financial restrictions and visa bans for those backing purchases of Russian oil and gas or blocking support for Kyiv.

The initiative comes as Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues to withhold approval for a €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine, while facing an uncertain electoral outlook at home. At the same time, tensions between Washington and Budapest are rising over Hungary’s ongoing reliance on Russian energy.

Orban has accused Ukraine of disrupting oil supplies, while US officials have stressed the need for unity among allies in confronting Moscow.

Under the proposal, final decisions on specific sanctions would be left to the administration of Donald Trump.

(pir)