【By Observer Net, Wang Yi】On the evening of November 7, US President Trump will hold a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán at the White House, which is their first formal face-to-face talk since Trump's re-election. Before departing, Orbán clearly stated that his main goal for this trip is to seek U.S. exemption for Hungary's purchase of Russian oil.

The European news website "Euractiv" reported on the 7th that Orbán will lead a large delegation including six ministers to visit the United States. He recently said in an interview, "We are discussing how to build a sustainable system for Hungary's economy, as Hungary relies heavily on Russian oil and gas. Without these energy sources, energy prices would skyrocket, and our reserves would also be short."

On October 22, the United States announced sanctions against Russia's two largest oil companies to "urge Russia to immediately cease hostilities with Ukraine." At the same time, the U.S. also asked its allies to increase pressure on Russia, using sanctions to threaten other countries not to buy Russian oil.

However, Hungary still highly depends on Russian energy. Orbán publicly stated last month that the U.S. sanctions were "a mistake" from Hungary's perspective, and said, "Without Russian oil and gas, Hungary's energy prices would surge, and there would be supply shortages."

According to the UK's Financial Times, when asked if Hungary could get an exemption for buying Russian oil, Trump replied, "He has requested an exemption; he is my friend Viktor (Orbán), but we have not approved it."

Last month, Trump spoke about Hungary's difficulty in obtaining oil at the White House. Screenshot of video

However, the report pointed out that Trump seems to have sympathy for Orbán, believing that this landlocked country has no other choice but Russian oil. "I had a conversation with the great leader of Hungary... they find it very difficult to obtain oil," Trump said.

As for whether he would apply the same pressure on Hungary as he did on India, Trump explained, "Hungary is a bit in a difficult situation because they have a pipeline that has existed for many years. Moreover, they are landlocked and have no ocean."

"Politico" Europe edition noted on the 6th that several U.S. government officials have not ruled out the possibility of Trump granting Hungary an exemption, considering Orbán's close relationship with Trump and Russia as an advantageous condition.

However, the possibility of Trump granting an exemption to Hungary has caused tension within the EU. An anonymous EU official said that Trump tends to make "individual deals" with leaders, but if he makes concessions to Orbán, "it would be a symbolic setback, indicating a lack of common determination among the U.S. and Europe to punish Russia together."

Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó stated that the European Union faces special challenges regarding energy supply security, which will be one of the core topics of Orbán's meeting with Trump. "We will develop a large-scale energy cooperation plan to help ensure Hungary's long-term energy security."

Orbán also posted on social media earlier this week, expressing hope to "open a new chapter in Hungary-U.S. relations... centered on energy cooperation."

Data from the Atlantic Council, an American think tank, shows that 86% of Hungary's oil comes from Russia. The New York Times said that if Hungary cannot obtain an exemption, it may face secondary U.S. sanctions, with consequences including fines or being cut off from U.S. financial institutions. However, as an EU member state, Hungary is currently exempt from implementing EU sanctions on Russian crude oil exports.

Orbán's trip is expected to also discuss the Ukraine-Russia issue with Trump. Last month, Hungary was considered as a potential venue for a U.S.-Russia summit, but Trump canceled the plan before the date was confirmed.

Minister of the Prime Minister's Office of Hungary, Gergely Gulyás, revealed that the meeting on November 7 would be "an opportunity for the two heads of state to determine a future roadmap, which may facilitate a U.S.-Russia meeting and thus promote the achievement of a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia."

"Euractiv" website said that this meeting with the U.S. president is expected to bring Orbán a "symbolic" victory. He has been in power for 15 years, but facing challenges in next spring's elections amid the current economic stagnation in Hungary.

Trump and Orbán maintain a close relationship. Even during Trump's term, the two remained in frequent contact. Orbán has visited Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida multiple times and called him a "close friend." After returning to the White House, the Trump administration revoked the previous administration's sanctions against Orbán's advisor Antal Rogán and restored Hungary's status in the U.S. visa waiver program.

However, at the same time, the U.S. tariffs on the EU have hit Hungary's export-oriented automotive industry, exacerbating the country's economic weakness.

Daniel Hegedüs, director of Central and Eastern European affairs at the German Marshall Fund, believes that Trump may show some flexibility on Orbán's request for oil sanctions relief in the end.

Hegedüs said that Trump has proven he is willing to assist his ideological allies, "I expect Trump to give Orbán a victory that can be promoted domestically, helping him consolidate his domestic position."

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