WASHINGTON: The United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions for using Russian oil and gas, a White House official said on Friday, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pressed his case for a reprieve during a friendly meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington. Last month, Trump imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft that carried the threat of further sanctions on entities in countries that buy oil from those firms.

"All diplomatic negotiations are difficult, but I expect friendly and easy negotiations," the Hungarian Prime Minister said

The Hungarian PM is a key ally of Moscow and has stymied European support for Kyiv