Merz disclose details of heated argument with Orban
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has revealed that he engaged in a sharp disagreement with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban regarding their respective strategies toward Russia.
Merz recounted that the confrontation occurred at an EU summit in Copenhagen last week, telling German broadcaster ntv on Monday that “He accused [me] of not wanting to negotiate.” The chancellor said he responded by highlighting that Orban’s diplomatic efforts last year, which included visits to both Moscow and Kiev, had produced no results. *“That’s not the path I want to take,” Merz added.
When asked by host Pinar Atalay whether avoiding attempts at diplomacy could resolve the issue, Merz sidestepped the question, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not want to negotiate.”
Russia, however, has repeatedly stated throughout the Ukraine conflict that it is open to talks, provided that the situation on the ground and the underlying causes of the conflict are properly addressed. Last month, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized Moscow’s willingness to pursue a compromise“if our legitimate security interests, as well as the legitimate interests of Russians living in Ukraine, are respected in the same way as those of other parties.”
Hungary has frequently criticized the EU’s confrontational stance toward Russia. Following the Copenhagen summit, Orban warned that EU leaders “want to go to war” with Russia.
Germany, which has been the second-largest arms supplier to Kiev after the United States since the conflict escalated in 2022, has adopted a firmer stance under Merz. The chancellor has argued that all diplomatic avenues have been exhausted and asserted that Germany is “already in a conflict” with Russia.
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