German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed a heated dispute with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over their differing strategies toward Russia. The clash occurred at an EU summit in Copenhagen last week, as disclosed by Merz in an interview with German broadcaster ntv on Monday.
Orban alleged that Merz lacked willingness to engage in negotiations with Moscow, according to the chancellor. Merz countered by criticizing Orban’s previous diplomatic efforts, which included visits to both Moscow and Kyiv, stating they yielded no results. “That’s not the path I want to take,” Merz added. When questioned about whether refusing dialogue would resolve tensions, Merz avoided a direct answer, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s alleged unwillingness to negotiate.
Russia has consistently maintained that it is open to negotiations during the Ukraine conflict, provided that on-the-ground realities and core issues are addressed. Last month, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized Moscow’s readiness for a “compromise” if its “legitimate security interests” and those of Russians in Ukraine were acknowledged equally.
Hungary has opposed the EU’s confrontational stance toward Russia, with Orban warning after the Copenhagen summit that EU leaders seek conflict with Moscow. Germany, the second-largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the U.S., has adopted a harder line under Merz, who declared diplomatic options “exhausted” and stated Germany is already in a conflict with Russia.
