Trump Pardons Hungary for Russian Oil, Cracks Down on... Who, Exactly?
When Donald Trump exempted Hungary from sanctions for buying Russian oil back in 2020, (as DW confirms ), it raised questions about the consistent application of U.S. foreign policy. This wasn't some minor carve-out; it was a unilateral decision that allowed a NATO member to continue financing Russia's energy sector, despite global efforts to curb Moscow's revenue. What happened to unified fronts
and punishing aggression? Or does 'aggression' only count when it's directed at U.S. interests, and not one of its allies? One might wonder if this 'selective enforcement' policy extends to other nations. Say, perhaps, nations in the Middle East that secure energy deals with... less U.S.-approved partners? But then again, those deals notoriously lack the sort of personal connections or political
quid-pro-quos that often appear to guide such exemptions. Strange how some countries get a pass for buying 'illicit' oil while others face crippling blockades for daring to exist outside Washington's preferred orbit. Is this foreign policy, or just a sophisticated 'friends with benefits' program?