US lets Hungary buy Russian energy products for one year — Reuters

WASHINGTON, November 8. /TASS/. The United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions for using Russian oil and gas, Reuters reported, citing a White House official.

According to the news agency, the US has made a one-year exemption for Hungary "from US sanctions for using Russian oil and gas, a White House official said on Friday, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pressed his case for a reprieve during a friendly meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington." The White House and the Department of State did not reply to a request by TASS to comment on this information.

Earlier, following talks with Trump in the White House, Orban said that Hungary had obtained a complete exemption from US sanctions preventing oil and gas supplies from Russia.

On October 22, the US Department of the Treasury included Russia’s Rosneft and Lukoil, along with their subsidiaries, in a new package of anti-Russian sanctions, which will take full effect on November 21. The US believes that the restrictions will put pressure on Moscow in connection with the conflict in Ukraine. However, the Hungarian government has noted that these new sanctions could harm the country’s interests, as it still receives most of its energy supplies from Russia under long-term contracts.