 "'Nice to dream': Hungary says can't stop buying oil from Russia despite Trump pressure")
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said Hungary will not halt purchases of Russian oil or reduce its reliance on Moscow for energy, despite US calls for Nato allies to cut Russian imports, The Guardian reported.
US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Nato allies, demanding that Europe end its dependence on Russian oil.
Speaking in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Szijjártó said: “We can’t ensure the safe supply [of energy products] for our country without Russian oil or gas sources,” while adding that he “understood” Trump’s approach.
“For us, energy supplies are a purely physical question,” he said. “It can be nice to dream about buying oil and gas from somewhere [besides Russia] … but we can only buy from where we have infrastructure. And if you look at the physical infrastructure, it’s obvious that without the Russian supplies, it is impossible to ensure the safe supply of the country.”
Trump links sanctions to European energy imports
Szijjártó’s remarks came after Trump made new sanctions on Russia conditional on Nato disconnecting from Russian energy.
“I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump said last week on Truth Social.
Some allies have questioned whether Trump is serious about increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin or merely passing responsibility to Europe.
Hungary’s state-owned MOL Group imports around 5 million tonnes of oil annually through the Druzhba pipeline, supplying refineries in Hungary and Slovakia—two countries most resistant to ending Russian energy imports.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ideological ally of Trump in Europe, has praised the former president and criticised Ukraine while maintaining cordial ties with the Kremlin. European leaders have repeatedly urged Hungary and Slovakia to stop buying Russian oil, but the appeals have been ignored.
“When it comes to buying Russian oil, it is now virtually down to Hungary and Slovakia,” said Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally. “I hope and expect them to step up to the plate soon to help us end this bloodbath. If not, consequences should and will follow.”
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