German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Viktor Orban for his visit to Moscow, emphasizing that it had negative consequences for Ukraine.

The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed direct criticism of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during the Munich Security Conference, referring to his visit to Moscow in July 2024, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Merz emphasized that Orban acted without a mandate from the European Union and that his visit did not yield positive results. He highlighted the impact of this meeting on the situation in Ukraine, mentioning that, in the following week, devastating attacks occurred on civilian infrastructure.

Merz's criticisms join those expressed by other European officials, who believe that Orban's visit undermined the unity of the European Union in the face of the conflict in Ukraine. Previously, Orban had a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, proposing a ceasefire to facilitate peace negotiations.