Copyright kyivpost
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he will meet with US President Donald Trump next week to discuss Budapest’s reliance on Russian oil. The remark came after the EU adopted a sanctions package to phase out all Russian energy imports by 2027 and the Trump administration’s latest decision to impose sanctions on key Russian oil firms to pressure Moscow into good-faith negotiations. Budapest has long argued that it relies on cheap Russian oil for its economy and has been opposed to previous EU attempts to slash Russian energy imports. Orban, who also maintains ties with Trump, told Italian daily La Repubblica that he will address the issue with Trump when asked if he thinks Trump made a mistake. “From the Hungarian point of view, yes. And so we will try to find a way out,” Orban was quoted as saying, according to AFP, citing La Repubblica. “I will soon be in Washington to discuss this with President Trump.” Orban said he will discuss “how to build a sustainable system” with Trump without saying whether Budapest is seeking alternative sources. “We are discussing how to build a sustainable system for my country’s economy, because Hungary depends very much on Russian oil and gas,” he added. “Without them, energy prices will skyrocket, causing shortages in our reserves.” On Friday, Orban said Budapest is seeking ways to “circumvent” the sanctions. In early October, Budapest reportedly struck deals with French energy group Engie on natural gas supplies and was negotiating possible imports from Turkmenistan in what was perceived as its attempt to shift away from Russian energy imports. Trump had previously said he was “angry” in August after Ukrainian strikes hit the Druzhba Pipeline supplying Hungary with Russian oil. Budapest protested the strikes; however, US officials have since pressured Budapest to seek alternatives. In early October, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said the Trump administration was in talks with Hungary, Turkey, and Slovakia to shift away from Russian energy, as per TVP World. Whitaker then told Fox News over the weekend that Washington expects Budapest and other countries reliant on Russian energy to “come up with and execute a plan” that “weans them off.” Budapest is also the planned location for an in-person meeting between Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin that has now been suspended indefinitely. Trump’s decision to effectively cancel the meeting came after the Kremlin reiterated its hardline stance on Ukraine – with no compromises – despite the warm tone during the Trump-Putin call that prompted the now-canceled meeting.
