Hungary fears 'bone crushing' sanctions from US and seeks exemption
Photo: Hungarian lawmaker Marton Hajdu (facebook.com/hMarci)
Hungary fears "punitive" US tariffs over its purchases of Russian energy resources. However, it promises to "get off" Russian oil in the near future, according to a statement by Marton Hajdu, chairman of the Hungarian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, on Facebook.
Hungary fears 'bone crushing' sanctions from the US
Hungary wants to secure an exemption from the US "bone crushing" sanctions. The country has still not given up Russian oil and gas.
Hajdu said that in Washington he discussed the future of Hungarian-US parliamentary relations with members of the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives.
At the same time, Hajdu mentioned the new Graham bill, which imposes tariffs on the largest buyers of Russian energy resources. He said this poses a risk to Hungary.
"That is why it was important that I was able to point out: Tisza recognizes the dangers and shortcomings of energy dependence on Russia, and a plan to eliminate it will soon be ready," the lawmaker wrote.
However, until that happens, Hajdu believes that Hungary needs an exemption.
"I asked our American partners to intervene so that Hungary would be exempted from this law and so that the US would support our country's efforts to diversify its energy supplies," he said.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that a White House official confirmed that US President Donald Trump plans to sign the bill on sanctions against Russia.
On September 17, the US House of Representatives finally passed the sanctions bill against Russia. The document was authored by the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
