Hungary's Orbán Seeks Trump's Blessing on Buying Russian Oil

When Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visits President Donald Trump in the White House on Friday, his priority will be convincing the U.S. administration to overlook Hungary's continued purchases of Russian oil — a potential test of how deep the relationship runs between the two leaders.

Orbán, once a vocal opponent of Soviet influence over Hungary during the Cold War, has in the past decade shifted markedly toward Moscow, a move that has puzzled both critics and former allies.

Widely regarded as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest partner within the European Union, Orbán has maintained cordial ties with the Kremlin despite its ongoing war in Ukraine.

He has also developed close ties with President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement, which view Hungary as an example of conservative nationalism.

But now, as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears its fourth anniversary, Orbán faces mounting pressure from both Brussels and Washington to reduce Hungary's dependence on Russian oil, which is considered a key source of funding for Moscow’s war effort.

Last month, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Russian state-affiliated energy companies Lukoil and Rosneft, potentially exposing foreign buyers — including India, China, and Hungary — to secondary sanctions.

The Hungarian leader hopes his personal relationship with Trump will strengthen his position at Friday's meeting, the first between the two leaders since Trump returned to office in January.

In comments to state radio last week, Orbán said he would try to “make the Americans understand” that Hungary requires an exemption to continue its Russian energy imports.

Orbán argues that Hungary, being landlocked in Central Europe, lacks viable alternatives to Russian crude and that switching suppliers could cause severe economic disruption — a claim disputed by critics.

President Donald Trump has suggested that he understands Orbán’s arguments. In October, he described Orbán as a “very great leader” and said Hungary was “sort of stuck” when it came to Russian oil imports.

Trump noted that Hungary relies on the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude through Ukraine into Central Europe. However, another pipeline — the Adria, which runs from Croatia’s Adriatic coast — can also supply non-Russian oil to Hungary’s main refinery, a route Orbán’s critics say could meet the country’s needs.

Daniel Fried, an Atlantic Council fellow and former U.S. ambassador to Poland, said that Hungary has not done enough to diversify its energy sources, unlike Poland, which has worked for years to develop alternatives.

While most EU members have sharply reduced or ended imports of Russian fossil fuels since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Hungary and 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 director at the Hudson Institute’s Center on Europe and Eurasia, said Hungary’s continued access to Russian oil has provided an economic edge over other European states but that new U.S. sanctions have forced Budapest to reassess its position.

In October, Trump announced plans to meet again with Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, with Budapest chosen as the host city. The decision was viewed as favorable to Orbán, who faces a challenging election in April.

Orbán praised the plan to hold talks in Budapest and called the choice a political achievement.

However, the meeting was later canceled, with Trump saying he did not want an unproductive discussion while Putin showed no willingness to compromise.

Officials in Budapest remain hopeful that a future Trump-Putin meeting could still occur. On Wednesday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the possibility of advancing peace in Ukraine would be a key topic in Friday’s discussions.

Hungary, a NATO member, has declined to supply weapons to Ukraine or allow their transit through its territory. Orbán has also threatened to veto certain EU sanctions against Moscow and delayed major financial aid packages for Kyiv.

He has frequently taken a critical stance toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and has accused some European partners of escalating the conflict by supporting Kyiv’s defense efforts.

Critics within the EU argue that Hungary’s stance weakens European unity in responding to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

With limited allies in Europe, Orbán is relying on his partnership with Trump. Fried said Orbán’s upcoming meeting with the U.S. president will reveal the value of his long investment in building ties with Trump’s political movement.