The Hungarian government has requested that United States authorities exempt Russia’s Gazprombank from sanctions to allow countries in the region to pay for their gas deliveries, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Brussels on Wednesday.
Fielding questions from journalists after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Szijjártó said that the United States’ chief diplomat had signalled a willingness for some form of consultations with allies on the sanctions affecting Gazprombank.
“It would have been better if this had happened before…but that’s how things turned out,” he added.
Szijjártó said the new sanctions on Gazprombank could cause serious difficulties for Hungary and two other NATO members, as well as for Serbia, as any stoppage in imports of Russian gas would threaten the security of their energy supplies.
“I have indicated to the American secretary of state that this is the kind of measure that could cause trouble for allies,” he added.
Szijjártó said the government had submitted a request to the relevant US authority on Tuesday asking for an exemption from the sanctions in the case of payments for gas deliveries. Such an exemption would not be without precedent, he added, noting that a number of Russian banks, mainly ones involved with the trade of Russian uranium, had received similar exemptions.
Szijjártó said he had consulted on the matter by phone with the energy ministers of Serbia, Slovakia and Türkiye, with whom coordinated steps would be taken.
Hungary ensures one-third of Ukraine’s imports of electricity and will continue to do so in future, too, he added.
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After years of hysterical criticism and insults at the Biden Administration Szijjarto now wants them to do this kind of favour? These Hungarian politicians need to learn basic manners and diplomacy if they want favours and most importantly they need to behave as allies which they have not. The Biden Administration would be exceedingly gracious to grant this request which is not at all deserved. Hungary has consistently avoided seeking alternate supplies of gas which for example have been offered repeatedly through Croatia. If the Fidesz government finds itself stuck now it gets what it deserves.