Hungary's Incoming Prime Minister on International Relations
Péter Magyar has announced that he has already engaged in conversations with 10 European leaders, following his decisive victory that ended Viktor Orbán's 16-year tenure as Hungary's prime minister.
Despite this outreach, Magyar stated he would not initiate a call to Vladimir Putin, a close ally of Orbán. However, he affirmed that he would answer if the Russian president were to call him.
"If Vladimir Putin calls I'll pick up the phone,"
Magyar declared during a three-hour press conference celebrating his Tisza party's electoral success on Sunday.
"I don't think it'll happen,"
he emphasized,
"but if we did talk I'd tell him to please, after four years, put an end to the killing and end this war."
In response to Magyar's victory, Moscow expressed respect and indicated expectations to maintain "pragmatic" relations with Budapest.
Relations with the United States and NATO
Orbán has been a significant ally of former US President Donald Trump, who supported Orbán's recent election campaign. Vice-President JD Vance also reinforced this alliance with a two-day campaign visit last week.
Magyar clarified that he would not be initiating contact with Trump but would respond positively if Trump reached out.
"I would say I was glad as we are strong allies in Nato,"
he said, adding that he would invite Trump to attend the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian uprising against Soviet occupation scheduled for next October.
Political Background and Election Results
A former member of Orbán's Fidesz party, Magyar founded a grassroots movement aimed at eradicating corruption and cronyism within the government.
Preliminary election results indicate that the Tisza party secured 136 seats, slightly down from an initial count of 138, but still maintaining a comfortable "super majority" of two-thirds in parliament. This majority enables the party to amend the constitution.
Magyar noted that approximately 400,000 votes remained uncounted and expressed optimism that his party would gain additional seats.
"Hungarian voters had not voted just for a change of government but for complete regime change."
European Support and Hungary's Future Direction
Magyar was in demand among European leaders on Monday, following his party's dramatic electoral success on Sunday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the outcome as:
"Hungary has chosen Europe."
Von der Leyen was among the leaders Magyar had already spoken with, he told Hungarian and international journalists.
Magyar stressed that Hungary's membership in the European Union remains intact regardless of the previous government's plans and emphasized the country's interest in joining the eurozone.
He outlined his initial diplomatic visits to Poland, Austria, and Germany, highlighting Hungary's close ties with these nations.
Contrasting Approaches to the Ukraine Conflict
The 45-year-old Tisza leader's stance contrasts sharply with that of the defeated Prime Minister Orbán, who had attributed blame for the ongoing war in Ukraine to the EU and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Orbán's campaign argued that these actors were prolonging Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and recently blocked a €90 billion (£78 billion) EU aid loan to Kyiv, drawing accusations of disloyalty from European partners.
Magyar stated:
"Every Hungarian knew that Ukraine was the victim of the war with Russia."
He further observed that the war was illogical from Russia's perspective as well, noting the significant Russian casualties and the destruction of Russian families, including Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine.
"It would probably be a short phone call [with Putin], and I don't think he'd end the war on my advice."
Orbán's Unique Position in the EU and Russian Relations
While Orbán had allies within the EU, he was the only leader to attempt to veto a loan previously agreed upon, following Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic securing an opt-out at a December summit.
His government's connections to Russia came under increased scrutiny after Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó admitted to sharing information with Russian officials before and after EU meetings on sanctions.
At one point, Szijjártó allegedly told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov,
"I am at your service,"
a revelation that led Orbán to initiate a wiretapping investigation.
During Monday's press conference, Magyar was handed a note and subsequently alleged that the outgoing foreign minister had been shredding confidential documents related to sanctions with Russia within the ministry building that day.
The ministry has not issued any comment regarding these allegations.
