BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� When Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor 翱谤产谩苍 visits in the White House on Friday, his priority will be convincing the U.S. administration to turn a blind eye to Hungary’s dogged commitment to buying Russian oil, a potential test of how deep the affinity goes between the two friendly leaders.
翱谤产谩苍, once an outspoken opponent of Russia’s dominance of Hungary during the Cold War, has in the last decade made a dramatic shift toward Moscow that has baffled his opponents and many earlier allies.
Widely considered Russian President Vladimir , 翱谤产谩苍 has maintained warm relations with the Kremlin despite its war against Ukraine. He has also curried favor with Trump and his MAGA movement, which views Hungary as a shining example of conservative nationalism despite
But now, as Russia’s full-scale approaches its fourth anniversary, 翱谤产谩苍 is under increasing pressure from both Brussels and Washington to end Hungary’s reliance on Russian oil, a resource seen as critical for funding Moscow’s war.
Last month, the Trump administration on Russian state-affiliated energy giants Lukoil and Rosneft that could expose their foreign buyers 鈥� like India, China and Hungary 鈥� to secondary sanctions.
Yet the Hungarian leader hopes his personal relationship with Trump will score him points at Friday’s meeting, the first between the two leaders since Trump retook office in January. In comments to state radio last week, 翱谤产谩苍 made clear he would that Hungary needs a carve out for its continued purchases of Russian energy.
翱谤产谩苍 says no alternatives to Russian oil
At the heart of 翱谤产谩苍’s appeals for an exemption is his claim that Hungary, landlocked in the heart of Central Europe, has no viable alternatives to Russian crude, and that replacing those supplies would trigger an economic collapse. Critics .
Yet Trump has indicated 翱谤产谩苍’s arguments may have stuck a chord. In October, he called 翱谤产谩苍 a 鈥渧ery great leader,” and said Hungary was 鈥渟ort of stuck鈥� when it came to Russian oil purchases. Trump said Hungary has 鈥渙ne pipeline鈥� 鈥� the Druzhba, which delivers Russian crude through Ukraine and into Central Europe.
However, another pipeline, the Adria, which originates at Croatia’s Adriatic coast, also delivers non-Russian crude to Hungary’s main refinery 鈥� a route 翱谤产谩苍’s critics and the Croatian oil transport company argue could handle Hungary’s energy needs.
Daniel Fried, an Atlantic Council fellow who is a former U.S. ambassador to Poland, dismissed 翱谤产谩苍鈥檚 complaints that Hungary doesn鈥檛 have other options for energy.
鈥淒on鈥檛 insult everyone鈥檚 intelligence,鈥� Fried said, noting that Poland, also in Central Europe, spent years preparing for alternatives. 鈥淗ungary has done none of this. They鈥檝e whined and complained.鈥�
While most EU member states sharply reduced or after Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Hungary and neighboring Slovakia have maintained their pipeline deliveries. Hungary has even increased the share of Russian oil in its energy mix from 61% before the war to around 86%, according to a report by independent researchers.
Peter Rough, a senior fellow and the director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Washington-based Hudson Institute, said that though Hungary has enjoyed a competitive advantage over other European states by procuring Russian supplies, 鈥淐learly, President Trump鈥檚 decision to wield the sanctions hammer against Russian oil … has gotten Hungary鈥檚 attention.鈥�
鈥淏udapest has resisted diversifying its energy mix for years, despite persistent urging,鈥� Rough said. 鈥淭he alarm bells must now be ringing in Budapest.鈥�
Budapest summit?
In October, Trump announced he would meet again with Putin for negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, and that Hungary’s capital would provide the venue. The decision was seen as a win for 翱谤产谩苍, and as an attempt by Trump to provide a political boost for his ally who in April is set to face of his last 15 years in power.
翱谤产谩苍 to hold the meeting in Budapest, and suggested the choice could be seen as a 鈥減olitical achievement.鈥�
But the meeting was soon scuttled, with Trump with Putin, who showed no signs of backing off his maximalist demands on the war.
Yet officials in Budapest are still hopeful a Trump-Putin meeting could materialize. On Wednesday, Hungarian Foreign Minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 said in a press briefing that high on the agenda for Friday’s meeting 鈥渨ill be the possibility of making peace in Ukraine.鈥�
鈥淚f U.S.-Russian preparatory work is successful, Hungary is ready to host a peace summit,” he said.
Hungary, a NATO member, has refused to supply neighboring Ukraine with weapons or allow their transfer across its borders. 翱谤产谩苍 has certain EU sanctions against Moscow, and held up the bloc鈥檚 adoption of major funding packages to Kyiv.
翱谤产谩苍 has often , and consistently cast as warmongers his European partners that favor assisting Kyiv in its defense. Yet 翱谤产谩苍鈥檚 many critics in the EU view Hungary鈥檚 position as favoring the aggressor in the war and splintering European unity in the face of Russian threats.
With few friends in Europe, the Hungarian leader is banking on favor from Trump. Fried, the Atlantic Council fellow, said that after 翱谤产谩苍’s heavy investment in Trump鈥檚 MAGA ecosystem, with his meeting on Friday 鈥渉e鈥檚 going to find out what it鈥檚 worth.鈥�
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Megerian reported from Washington.
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