The United States on Thursday granted an exemption for gas payments as part of sanctions it imposed on Russian bank Gazprombank, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a video posted on social media .
The United States imposed sanctions on Gazprombank on November 21, creating an obstacle for European buyers of Russian gas. Buyers used Gazprombank to make their payments.
Hungary, which depends mainly on Russian oil and gas, has requested an exemption from the United States.
U.S. sanctions against Gazprombank have caused difficulties for several importers, including Turkey and Slovakia, and these countries have sought clarification and options for making payments.
“Today they granted an exemption for gas payments related to Gazprombank, which is good news, but in the meantime we have found a solution with our regional allies, an alternative payment method that does not violate sanctions but allows (gas) payments,” Mr. Szijjarto told a reporter in New York in the video.
The U.S. Treasury Department could not immediately be reached for comment.
Slovakia’s main gas buyer, state-owned SPP, said it had not received a notification of payment exemption for gas.
Szijjarto said the United States continued to ban financial transactions through Gazprombank linked to the Paks 2 nuclear power plant that Russia’s Rosatom is building in Hungary, calling the move “entirely political.”
He claimed Hungary’s energy supply was off the hook, but gave no further details on gas payments.
Mr. Szijjarto declared on Friday that the question of paying for gas had been resolved, the countries concerned having found another method of payment. He did not say how it would work, and Hungary’s foreign ministry did not respond to questions emailed to Reuters.
