Orban Courts Trump to Ease US Sanctions on Russian Oil

Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday — their first encounter since Trump’s return to the White House — as Budapest seeks an exemption from American sanctions targeting Russian oil.

The United States imposed sanctions last month on Russia’s two largest oil producers, marking the first such measures since Trump resumed office, in a bid to pressure Moscow into ending the war in Ukraine.

Hungary, the European Union’s closest ally of both Trump and the Kremlin, remains heavily reliant on Russian oil and gas, despite EU initiatives aimed at reducing energy dependence on Moscow. Orban, accompanied by a large ministerial delegation including six cabinet members, has confirmed that obtaining a sanctions waiver for Russian energy will be a top priority during his visit.

“I have to achieve results,” Orban declared during his weekly state radio interview released on Friday.

In a recent conversation with Italy’s La Repubblica, Orban admitted that Trump’s sanctions decision had been a “mistake from the Hungarian point of view.” He added, “Hungary depends very much on Russian oil and gas. Without them, energy prices will skyrocket, causing shortages in our reserves.”

The two leaders are also expected to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. Budapest had previously been considered as a potential venue for a US–Russia summit, though Trump cancelled the proposal before a date was confirmed.

Analysts believe that the meeting could deliver a symbolic political boost for Orban, who faces growing domestic pressure amid economic stagnation and a challenging election scheduled for next spring.

A Mixed Bag for Hungary

“Since President Trump’s re-election, new perspectives have opened up in Hungarian–American relations,” Orban posted on social media before departing for Washington, hailing the beginning of a “new chapter.”

Orban visited his “dear friend” Trump at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida three times last year. However, the US president’s return to power has yielded mixed consequences for Hungary.

While Washington has lifted sanctions against Orban’s close aide Antal Rogan and restored Hungary’s membership in the US visa waiver programme, Trump’s renewed tariffs on the European Union have dealt a heavy blow to Hungary’s export-driven car manufacturing sector, worsening the nation’s already fragile economy.

According to Daniel Hegedus, Central Europe Director at the German Marshall Fund, Trump may ultimately demonstrate “some flexibility” regarding Orban’s request for an exemption from oil sanctions.

The United States has given companies operating with Russian energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil one month to sever ties or risk secondary sanctions, which would block their access to American banks, traders, shipping firms, and insurers.

“There surely will be some kind of symbolic result that both parties can communicate after the meeting,” Hegedus told AFP. “Trump has already shown he is willing to help his ideological allies.”

“I expect Trump will offer Orban a small but visible victory — something he can showcase at home — which would reinforce his domestic standing, while the administration continues to back political movements that divide the European Union,” he added.

Orban, who has refused to send military aid to Ukraine and opposed Kyiv’s bid to join the EU, has long had tense relations with Brussels over issues ranging from the rule of law to media freedom and democratic standards.