Hungary seeks U.S. exemption from Russian energy sanctions

The Hungarian government is lobbying the United States for an exemption from new sanctions targeting countries that purchase Russian energy. This follows the signing of the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’ by President Donald Trump, which allows for tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian oil and gas.

Marton Hajdu, Chairman of the Hungarian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the ruling Tisza party, recently met with Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Washington. Hajdu requested support to ensure Hungary remains exempt from these punitive measures during its transition period as it seeks to reduce its systemic dependence on Russian energy.

The current administration under Prime Minister Peter Magyar has expressed a commitment to diversifying energy sources and ending reliance on Russia by 2035, describing the current dependency as a ‘systemic risk.’ However, Hungary remains heavily reliant on Russian supplies. The existing U.S. sanctions exemption for Hungary is set to expire on November 21, unless an extension is granted.