Budapest is still not planning to supply arms to Ukraine or participate in any potential peacekeeping operations in the country. This was stated in Berlin on Tuesday, June 2, by the new Prime Minister of Hungary, Peter Madjar, at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He added that he intends to block the start of negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the European Union as long as Kyiv continues to infringe on the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia.
Madjar expects a swift resolution of disagreements with Kyiv.
At the same time, Madjar expects to reach an agreement soon regarding the Hungarian minority issue in Ukraine. "We hope to wrap up technical negotiations this week," said the Prime Minister of Hungary. If this happens, Peter Madjar is ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week and "open a new chapter in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations."
He also promised that Hungary would be a "fair and reliable partner" in Europe. "Certainly, we won't always share the same opinion. But we won't impose a veto just for the sake of it," said Madjar, emphasizing that he believes in the effectiveness of negotiation methods.
Merz promised to support Hungary's return "to the heart of Europe."
In turn, Friedrich Merz, welcoming the successor of Viktor Orban in Berlin as the head of the Hungarian government, promised him full support in the process of returning Hungary "to the heart of Europe." During the first visit of the 45-year-old politician to Germany, Merz described the victory of his center-right party "Tisa" in the parliamentary elections, which led to a change of power in Hungary, as "an inspiration for all of Europe."
According to the German Chancellor, Peter Madjar has proven that "the pendulum swings not only in one direction - non-liberal or even authoritarian." "It can also swing impressively back to the middle," he added.
Madjar’s predecessor Viktor Orban blocked many crucial EU decisions for years using veto power. During the first months of 2026, he refused to approve a €90 billion loan to Ukraine. In April, Madjar and "Tisa" scored a convincing victory in the parliamentary elections, securing two-thirds of the votes. Following this, Madjar announced a systemic pivot in Hungarian politics and among other things, unblocked the loan to Ukraine and new sanctions against the RF, which continues its full-scale war against the neighboring country.