The United States granted an exemption for gas payments on Thursday from sanctions it had imposed on Russia's Gazprombank, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a video posted to social media.
The U.S. imposed sanctions on Gazprombank on Nov. 21, creating an obstacle for European buyers of Russian gas. Buyers had been using Gazprombank to make payments.
Hungary, which mainly relies on Russian oil and gas, asked the U.S. for an exemption.
The U.S. sanctions on Gazprombank have caused difficulties for several importers, who also include Turkey and Slovakia, and these countries have been looking for clarification and options to make payments.
The U.S. Treasury Department could not be immediately reached for comment.
Slovakia's main gas buyer, state-owned SPP, said it had not received notification of a gas-payment exemption.
