Trump Weighs Exempting Hungary From New Sanctions on Russian Oil

President Donald Trump said Friday he is considering whether to give Hungary a waiver from new U.S. sanctions on Russian oil while meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a longtime ally who has backed Trump’s return to the White House and echoed his “America First” rhetoric.

“We’re looking at it, because it’s very difficult for him to get the oil and gas from other areas,” Trump told reporters brought into the room during the leaders’ visit. “They don’t have the advantage of having sea.”

The meeting was Orbán’s first official visit since Trump’s return to office and came just two weeks before sanctions take effect on Russia’s oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil. Those penalties could hit countries that continue buying Russian crude, including Hungary, which depends on Moscow for most of its energy.

The issue tests Trump’s effort to balance sanctions enforcement with loyalty to Orbán. An exemption would mark a major carveout in Trump’s new sanctions regime and could test unity among U.S. allies.

Seated beside Trump in the Oval Office, Orbán portrayed his request as unavoidable.

“Pipeline is not an ideological or political issue. It’s a physical reality, because we don’t have a port,” he said. Nearly “90% of Hungarian households [depend on] heating system based on gas,” he added.

Trump avoided committing to a decision but suggested Hungary’s situation differs from other European countries.

“Many European countries are buying oil and gas from Russia,” he said. “That question could be really asked … about many European countries, not Hungary necessarily, because Hungary is in a different position.”

The public portion of the meeting was overwhelmingly friendly. Orbán and Trump have bonded over their shared resistance to European pressure over the war in Ukraine. Both leaders cast themselves as “pro-peace” voices on the war.

“I think that Viktor feels we’re going to get that war ended in the not too distant future,” Trump said.

Orbán agreed, saying, “The only pro-peace government is the United States government and the small Hungary in Europe. All the other governments prefer to continue the war.”

At one point, Trump directed a question to Orbán: “You would say Ukraine can’t win that war?”

“You know, miracle can happen,” Orbán replied.

He pledged to share “some ideas” with Trump about how to end the fighting. Trump said that if a new meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin takes place, he would like it “in Hungary, in Budapest.” Trump canceled a Putin meeting there last month citing lack of progress in peace talks.

“If that time, the name of the United States president would have been Donald Trump, there would be no war between Ukraine and Russia,” Orbán said.

Beyond energy and Ukraine, the two leaders reaffirmed their ideological closeness. Orbán described Hungary as “the only, only government in Europe which considers itself as a modern Christian government,” in contrast to what he called “liberal, leftist governments.”

Trump said Hungary’s policies had kept crime low and accused other European countries of having “flooded Europe with people from all over the world.”

“Europe should respect Hungary and respect this leader very, very strongly,” he said. “He has not made a mistake on immigration.”

The meeting restored direct engagement between Washington and Budapest after years of limited contact, reflecting Trump’s close rapport with a European counterpart who shares many of his policy views.

“We’re in a good position to open up a new chapter,” Orbán said as the meeting ended. “Let’s say a golden age between the United States and Hungary.”