U.S. Senator issues a cautionary statement towards Hungary and Slovakia regarding their Russian energy acquisitions.
Europe's reliance on Russian oil has been a contentious issue, with some countries significantly reducing their imports while others continue to cash in on discounted exports.
According to United States Senator Lindsey Graham, a top Trump ally, the president was right to demand that Europe stop buying Russian oil. His statement indicates that the United States is taking a firm stance against the purchase of Russian energy by NATO countries.
In a social media post, Lindsey Graham also threatened 'consequences' if Hungary and Slovakia, the only European countries importing a significant amount of natural gas and crude oil from Russia, do not end their reliance on Russian energy.
Despite calls to find alternative energy sources, both Hungary and Slovakia have so far refused to do so. Hungary, in particular, has increased its reliance on Russian crude from 61% pre-invasion to 86% in 2024. Slovakia, on the other hand, remained almost 100% dependent on supply from Moscow.
The European Union (EU) has not imposed direct sanctions on these countries, despite their high dependence (over 85%) on Russian oil and government reluctance to reduce this dependence. Potential future EU measures include an LNG embargo from 2027, restrictions on Russian oil transport via sanctioning over 560 ships, financial sanctions targeting banks and crypto-exchanges aiding sanction circumvention, export bans on materials vital to the Russian arms industry, and diplomatic pressure on third countries supporting Russia's oil trade.
Budapest and Bratislava have sought friendlier relations with the Kremlin. Hungary imposed sanctions last month on a Ukrainian military officer who was behind an attack on the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies over half of Budapest's oil imports.
In 2024, EU countries paid €21.9 billion on Russian fossil fuels, accounting for about 10% of Russia's total global export revenues. The percentage of gas imported from Russia by EU countries dropped to 19% last year, and the percentage of oil imports dropped to 3%.
A report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air states that Budapest 'increased its Russian crude reliance' and Bratislava 'remained almost 100% dependent on supply from Moscow'. The report did not mention any changes in Slovakia's percentage of Russian gas imports.
American President Donald Trump called on NATO countries to stop buying oil from Russia last week. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright also urged the EU's remaining buyers of Russian fossil fuels to look elsewhere for their energy.
Lindsey Graham expressed hope and expectation that Hungary and Slovakia will 'step up to the plate soon to help us end this bloodbath'. His statement suggests that the United States may impose sanctions on countries that continue to purchase Russian energy.
The situation presents a complex challenge for the EU, balancing energy security with political and economic pressure to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
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