During a bilateral lunch at the White House, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sought relief from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas imports, which were imposed on companies like Lukoil and Rosneft. Following the meeting, Orban announced that Hungary had received an indefinite waiver from these sanctions, particularly for energy supplied through the TurkStream and Druzhba pipelines. However, a White House official later stated that the exemption is valid for only one year. Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reiterated the indefinite nature of the waiver, emphasizing its importance for the country's energy security. The agreement is vital as Hungary heavily depends on Russian energy, with 74% of its gas and 86% of its oil sourced from Russia. The International Monetary Fund has warned that a complete EU cutoff of Russian gas could significantly impact Hungary's GDP. The exemption is expected to prevent surging energy costs and economic instability as Hungary approaches a critical election.