U.S. president Donald Trump rejected Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's motion to release Hungary from Russian oil sanctions.
Orbán said on Friday in an interview with Radio Kossuth that during his upcoming visit to Washington, D.C., he would effort to convince Trump to release Hungary from sanctions imposed on Russian energy companies Rosnieft and Łukoil, which supply oil to Central Europe.
Last week, the United States placed both companies on the blacklist, accusing Moscow of not being active in the peace process in Ukraine.
Hungary has repeatedly stressed that Russian oil and gas are crucial to their energy security.
Asked later that day by journalists aboard Air Force One, Trump said Orbán "he asked for release, but we did not grant it."
“He is my friend” – he added, while suggesting that journalists decision on to another questions.
Orbán told Radio Kossuth that Hungary, as an inland country, had no viable alternatives to Russian oil and that replacing it would push the country towards an economical crisis.
"We gotta make the Americans aware of this peculiar situation... if we want them to let exemptions from US sanctions against Russia" – he said.
Prime Minister of Hungary announced that on 7 November he would bring to Washington ‘number of delegations’ Ministers, economical officials and safety advisers to finalise the package of economical cooperation with the US.
However, he stressed that any agreement would depend on maintaining access to Russian oil and gas.
Hungary, which has maintained a neutral position on the conflict in Ukraine, is besides facing expanding force in the EU to reduce dependence on Russian energy, as the block plans to phase out imports of oil and gas from the country by 2028.
Orbán, Trump's key ally in the EU, visited the US respective times during last year's presidential run to support his candidacy.
In fresh months, he praised the U.S. President's efforts to halt the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
President Vladimir Putin previously called US sanctions against Russian oil companies "unfriendly move"but stated that they would not have a crucial impact on the economy.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/627221-trump-orban-hungary-sanctions/
