Trump Says He Might Exempt Hungary From Russia Energy Sanctions
President Donald Trump said Nov. 7 that he’s considering giving Hungary an exemption from sanctions that his administration recently imposed on two major Russian energy companies.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
Speaking to reporters at the start of a White House meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Trump said, “We’re looking at it because it’s very difficult for [the landlocked country] to get the oil and gas from other areas.” Orban said the two leaders would discuss the matter in private.
The Treasury Department announced the sanctions in late October to spur Moscow to pursue a peace deal with Ukraine (see 2510220050). Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who has endorsed those sanctions (see 2510230047), urged Trump on Friday not to give Orban a “pass,” saying Hungary has been increasing its dependence on Russian energy.