Hungary – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that the United States has decided to lift sanctions on Russian energy supplies to his country. He described it as a “victory for Hungarian diplomacy and economic rationality.”
Orban, in remarks carried by local media, said the US decision would allow Hungary to obtain Russian oil and gas without restrictions. He asserted that his country “will not be held hostage to European energy crises or punitive political stances.”
The Hungarian Prime Minister added that his government “adopts a pragmatic approach that prioritizes the interests of its citizens above all else.” He emphasized that Hungary cannot jeopardize its energy security or disrupt its economic growth due to “conflicts that do not directly concern it.”
Washington has yet to issue an official comment on Orban’s remarks. However, observers see the move—if confirmed—as an indication of new understandings between Budapest and Washington on energy issues, amid escalating tensions within the European Union regarding its stance toward Moscow.
Hungary is one of the few European countries that has maintained close ties with Russia since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war. It has refused to fully join European sanctions policies, asserting that “pragmatism does not mean submission, but rather preserving the national interest.”
