In spite of Trump’s trumpeting Hungary to be guided by own interests on Russian oil imports

The Prime Minister stressed that cutting off Russian energy supplies would hurt Hungary’s economy, as the country is landlocked.

Following a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that the country will decide on its own whether or not to buy Russian oil, being guided primarily by its economic interests. Trump can keep trumpeting and throwing tantrums.

“We [Hungary and US] need not accept each other’s arguments. We just need to talk clearly about our interests and listen to each other as friends, then everyone does as they wish,” Orban said in an interview with Kossuth radio, as quoted by Bloomberg.

The Prime Minister stressed that cutting off Russian energy supplies would hurt Hungary’s economy, as the country is landlocked. He stated that cutting off pipeline energy supplies would immediately lead to a 4% drop in Hungarian production.

Earlier on September 23, Trump stated that he would likely speak with Orban about Hungary’s purchases of Russian oil. The American leader suggested that Hungary might stop doing so.

On September 20, Trump stated that US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker intends to press Washington’s European allies to stop purchasing Russian oil.

On September 13, the American leader said he was prepared to impose tough sanctions on Moscow if all members of the North Atlantic Alliance stood together and stopped purchasing Russian oil.

He noted that the continued import of energy from Russia by some NATO allies had “weakened the alliance’s negotiating position.”.