Hungary's Orbán seeks more Russian oil and gas in meeting with Putin

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Friday, pursuing additional oil and gas supplies from Moscow following a recent sanctions exemption granted by US President Donald Trump.

Few EU member states continue importing substantial volumes of Russian fossil fuels, with Hungary pushing back on bloc-wide efforts to eliminate these imports by 2027.

"We have important areas of cooperation, and we haven't given up on any area of that cooperation, no matter the external pressure," Orbán said. "Russian energy forms the basis of Hungary's energy supply, now and in the future."

During opening remarks at the Kremlin, Putin acknowledged Orbán's "balanced position" on Russia's all-out war in Ukraine.

Orbán's approach to the war has frustrated Hungary's EU and NATO partners, who have repeatedly condemned Russia's full-scale invasion as a violation of international law and a threat to eastern European security.

The Hungarian leader has advocated for ending the war without specifying implications for Ukraine's territorial integrity or future defence.

'All we need is oil and gas'

Earlier this month, Orbán secured a sanctions exemption from Trump during a meeting in Washington. The exemption allows Hungary to continue purchasing Russian oil and gas from Lukoil and Rosneft despite new sanctions from the Trump administration targeting these companies.

"Now all we need is oil and gas, which we can buy from the Russians," Orbán said Friday. "I am going there to ensure Hungary's energy supply at an affordable price both this winter and next year."

Hungary has maintained its position that Russian energy imports are essential for economic survival. Orbán claims switching to alternative fossil fuel sources would trigger immediate economic collapse.

While other European nations gradually severed Russian energy ties, Hungary sustained and expanded its imports, opposing EU plans to phase out all Russian fossil fuels by late 2027.

The Trump administration has reported its sanctions on major Russian oil producers are constraining Moscow's economic capacity to fund its war effort.

Russian oil prices dropped sharply as Indian and Chinese buyers complied with US sanctions ahead of their implementation, according to senior Treasury Department officials.

Witkoff to Moscow next?

Meanwhile, the US president announced Tuesday the 28-point US-Russia plan, panned by European allies as favouring Moscow, had been "fine-tuned" and confirmed sending envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Putin and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet Ukrainian officials.

He suggested potential future meetings with Putin and Zelenskyy, pending progress in talks.

Putin said Thursday US officials would arrive in Moscow "in the first half" of next week, identifying Witkoff as the likely envoy. Putin plans to travel to India on 4-5 December for discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Kremlin announced Friday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined Friday to confirm Witkoff's visit date, stating the Kremlin would announce it "in due time".