Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban rejected a request from U.S. President Donald Trump to reduce his country's reliance on Russian energy supplies, stating on September 26th that Hungary will continue to import Russian oil and gas. Orban argued that abandoning these supplies would devastate hundreds of thousands of families and could lead to a 4% drop in GDP, citing a lack of viable alternatives to existing Soviet-era pipelines. This stance was reported by Bloomberg and NOELreports, with Orban emphasizing that Hungary cannot realistically abandon Russian energy at this time. The comments come amidst broader regional instability and ongoing discussions about energy markets. Earlier on September 26th, Poland urged its citizens to leave Belarus "by any available means" due to rising tensions and arbitrary arrests. This advisory was issued around 6:05 AM UTC. Concurrently, a fuel train collided with a truck in Russia's Smolensk region, causing a significant fire. These events highlight a period of heightened regional instability. In related energy news, President Donald Trump previously stated that Hungary, being landlocked, could only purchase oil from Russia. The U.S. is also set to impose sanctions from October 1st on Serbia's Russian-owned oil company NIS, according to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on September 25th. Additionally, the Russian Afipsky Oil Refinery in the Krasnodar region was reportedly attacked overnight on September 26th. India had previously informed the Trump administration that its ability to cease purchasing Russian oil is contingent upon securing supplies from Iran and Venezuela. India had halted such imports in 2019 and 2020 due to American sanctions. Separately, analysis shared on September 26th suggests Russian manpower is a myth and its military operations are diminishing.
