Orban says the U.S. exemption for Russian oil and gas is "indefinite," White House denies.

According to Reuters on November 8, Hungary said it has obtained an "indefinite exemption" from the United States regarding the import of Russian oil and natural gas. However, a White House official stated that the exemption granted to Hungary is only valid for one year.

Previously, President Trump imposed sanctions on Russia's Lukoil and Rosneft companies, and threatened further sanctions against entities purchasing energy resources from these two companies. Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán visited the White House on the 7th to meet with Trump and hoped to obtain an exemption from the US for Hungary's import of Russian energy resources. Orbán announced later that day that Hungary had obtained an indefinite exemption through the TurkStream gas pipeline and the Druzhba oil pipeline to import Russian energy resources.

Orbán said: "No sanctions will restrict Hungary's supply through these routes, nor will they increase its costs. This exemption is universal and has no time limit." He also said that without this agreement, energy costs would surge, impact the overall economy, increase unemployment, and bring about "unbearable" price increases for households and businesses.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also posted on Facebook: "The Prime Minister's statement was clear. He has reached an agreement with the President of the United States, and we have obtained an indefinite sanction exemption."

Orbán joined Trump at a bilateral lunch at the White House. Reuters

However, a White House official responded to Reuters' email, stating that the exemption Hungary received is only valid for one year. In addition, Hungary will diversify its energy procurement and has committed to purchasing approximately $600 million worth of U.S. liquefied natural gas.

The report states that Hungary heavily relies on Russian energy, and Orbán will face a "critical test" in next year's election. For a long time, Hungary has been very dependent on importing oil and gas resources from Russia. Data from the International Monetary Fund shows that Hungary purchased 74% of its natural gas and 86% of its oil from Russia in 2024.

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