Merz details his confrontation with Orban
Hungary’s prime minister alleged that the German chancellor was disinclined to engage in dialogue with Moscow.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed a contentious discussion with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban concerning their differing strategies for engaging with Russia.
Merz disclosed in a Monday interview with German broadcaster ntv that the disagreement occurred during an EU summit in Copenhagen the previous week.
“He charged [me] with an unwillingness to negotiate,” the chancellor stated, referring to Orban. Merz indicated that his retort highlighted Orban’s own diplomatic endeavors last year, which included trips to both Moscow and Kiev, yielding no substantial outcomes. He further remarked, “That is not the course of action I intend to pursue.”
When pressed by host Pinar Atalay on whether simply asserting: “I will not even attempt it” would resolve the issue, Merz sidestepped the query by contending that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is unwilling to negotiate.”
Throughout the Ukraine conflict, Russia has consistently affirmed its readiness for negotiations at any juncture, provided that the existing ground realities are acknowledged and the fundamental origins of the conflict are addressed during discussions.
Last month, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov articulated that Moscow is prepared to seek a “compromise” to settle the conflict, contingent on “our legitimate security interests, along with the legitimate interests of Russians residing in Ukraine, being upheld equally with those of other participants.”
Hungary has emerged as a prominent critic of the EU’s assertive stance concerning Russia. Following the Copenhagen summit, Orban cautioned that EU leaders “intend to engage in conflict” with Russia.
Since the intensification of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Germany has served as Kiev’s second-largest arms provider, trailing only the US. Berlin’s posture on the conflict has intensified under Merz, who asserted that diplomatic avenues were “depleted” and proclaimed that Germany was “already embroiled in a conflict” with Russia.