Trump: If I spoke with Viktor Orbán, he might stop buying Russian oil

While holding a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump was asked what he thought about Hungary still purchasing oil from Russia.

Trump suggested that the best approach would be for him to personally persuade Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to change his mind.

“He is a friend of mine. I have not spoken to him, but I have a feeling if I did, he might stop. And I think I’ll be doing that,"

Trump said, as reported by CNN.

The subject came up because the US president recently issued an ultimatum saying that the United States would only impose severe sanctions on Russia if NATO allies also stopped buying Russian oil.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who was also attending the UN General Assembly, responded to Trump's idea: "We fully support the US president's efforts to achieve peace. However, we cannot change the reality stemming from our geographical location," he said.

The US administration has recently been emphasizing that Europe must wean itself off Russian oil because Russia is using these sales to finance its war against Ukraine. Along with Slovakia, Hungary remains one of two countries that are still buying oil and gas directly from Russia. The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade has stressed multiple times that Hungary is doing so because it has no other option.