On the surface, the Hungarian prime minister's trip was exactly what he went to Washington for: luxuriant praise and an exemption from sanctions on Russian oil, gas and nuclear supplies.
And all that just five months out from a difficult election.
However, the agreement has its complications. The U.S. struck a hard trade deal that carries significant expenses for Hungary. In contrast to Orban's expectations, there was no progress on mitigating his biggest issue: the ongoing war in neighboring Ukraine.
Despite the notable diplomatic visit, the lack of political commitment from Orban to meet EU demands for reduced Russian oil reliance poses a significant challenge. Current EU sanctions are tightening, and Hungary struggles to conform while still managing its energy security.
Orban's primary win was a one-year exemption from U.S. sanctions, which is expected to assist during the upcoming winter. However, while he has successfully diverted potential energy spikes by securing American LNG purchases, challenges remain, particularly with financing and building the Paks 2 nuclear facility.
The trip also involved agreements to purchase U.S. nuclear technology and commitments toward acquiring small modular reactors, reflecting Hungary's urgent energy needs, especially to power burgeoning industrial operations.
In summary, Orban's visit resulted in a mixed bag of outcomes: temporary sanctions relief in exchange for significant energy commitments, yet failures to address critical geopolitical ties with Russia and the upcoming U.S. visa policy reinstatement. Critics argue this reflects a shift from Russian to U.S. energy dependence, while the Orban government defends it as a diversification strategy.
