HUNGARY will continue to source fossil fuels from Russia, rejecting demands to stop from US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said today.

The far-right leader told Mr Trump that boycotting Russian energy would cause a “disaster” for Hungary’s economy.

Hungary remains one of the few countries in Europe to continue buying Russian oil and natural gas following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

But earlier this month, Mr Trump, an admirer of the long-serving Hungarian leader, called on all Nato countries including Hungary to stop purchasing Russian oil.

In comments to Hungarian radio today, Mr Orban said he had recently told Mr Trump that dropping Russian energy imports would be an economic “disaster” for Hungary.

“I told the US president that if Hungary is cut off from Russian oil and natural gas, immediately, within a minute, Hungarian economic performance will drop by 4 per cent,” he said.

“It means the Hungarian economy would be on its knees.”

Hungary and the US, the prime minister said, “are sovereign countries. There is no need for either of us to accept the arguments of the other. 

“America has its arguments and interests and Hungary does too.”

Slovakia, which borders Hungary, has also continued to import Russian energy.