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Magyar: Hungary Won’t Block EU’s €90B Ukraine Loan but Will Stay Out
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar has stated that he will not block the European Union’s €90 billion (around $105 billion) loan package for Ukraine, while confirming that Hungary will not participate in the mechanism.
According to European Pravda on April 13, speaking at a press conference with foreign media in Budapest, Magyar addressed questions about the loan, which had previously been opposed by outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
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“I am not sure what we are even talking about. Because in December, at the European Council meeting, Orbán voted for Hungary not to participate in this loan, and the European Council approved it. Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia are not participating in the €90 billion (about $105 billion) loan, so it does not concern our country. That is how it was approved,” Magyar said.
He added that he intends to raise the issue in discussions with European leaders, but made clear that his position remains unchanged.
“Personally, I agree that Hungary should not participate in this mechanism. Hungary is in a very difficult financial situation, and our task is to bring back EU funds that belong to us. We cannot take on more loans. But the decision has already been made by the European Council in December, so I do not understand why this issue should be raised again,” he stated.
Magyar also criticized the previous government’s shifting stance on key issues, saying his administration would aim for consistency.
“We will try to be consistent and honest in our communication and will not change our position every six months,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hungary’s future government plans to maintain dialogue with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, but only on a practical level centered on energy needs, Péter Magyar said.
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“We will have to sit down at the negotiating table with the Russian president. The geography of neither Russia nor Hungary will change. And our energy dependence will also remain for some time,” he said.
Magyar acknowledged the need to reduce Hungary’s dependence on Russian energy, while emphasizing that diversification cannot happen overnight. He also stressed that continued contact does not imply closer political ties, adding, “We will not become friends.”
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In addition, Ukraine has begun reaching out to Hungary over the possibility of high-level political engagement following the parliamentary elections that brought opposition leader to power.
According to Interfax, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv had already signaled to Budapest its openness to potential communication between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Péter Magyar, head of the Tisza party, who is expected to become the next prime minister of Hungary.
Commenting on the development, Sybiha said: “We believe that we have received the right European signals from this country, which open new opportunities for us and give a chance to start a new neighborly chapter in our shared history. The people deserve such open relations.”
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
