According to a Facebook post published by Hungary’s new foreign minister, Anita Orbán, the Hungarian ambassador to Warsaw will be recalled to Budapest and replaced by someone else.
New era of cooperation between Poland and Hungary
In the post, Anita Orbán stated that Polish–Hungarian relations are entering a new era. As part of this, Prime Minister Péter Magyar will pay an official visit to Poland with a large delegation to place bilateral cooperation on a new footing. “A new era requires a new approach,” the foreign minister wrote, adding that she had decided to recall Hungary’s ambassador to Warsaw, as a new appointee would be a more suitable representative of this renewed partnership in the coming years.
Hungary’s relationship with Poland deteriorated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Poland continued to support Kyiv in every possible way, fearing a potential Russian attack — an event last seen in 1939, when the Soviet Union seized the country’s eastern territories while the Polish army fought Nazi forces in the west. Between 1944 and 1990, Soviet troops remained in Poland, ensuring Warsaw’s dependence on Moscow and maintaining a pro-Soviet government.
Meanwhile, former prime minister Viktor Orbán adopted a different approach to Ukraine’s war for freedom. He argued that President Zelensky should accept Putin’s terms, agree to a ceasefire, and begin peace negotiations as soon as possible.
Polish official: Hungarian PM’s visit ‘symbolic’
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar is starting a two-day visit to Poland on Tuesday, a symbolic gesture “indicating Hungary’s return to the European mainstream”.
Magyar is scheduled to meet his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, whose pro-European coalition has restored ties with the EU and facilitated release of community funding frozen over European concerns regarding the rule of law in Poland. According to news agency Reuters, Magyar, who won a landslide victory in Hungary over nationalist Viktor Orbán, has similar goals.
Warsaw and Budapest have previously been at odds over Orban’s stand on Ukraine and his close ties with Russia. A Polish government official said Magyar’s visit could be seen as a symbolic resumption of virtually frozen relations, providing an opportunity to restart dialogue on European issues and Ukraine, the Hungarian News Agency wrote.
“It is very clear that they want to restore relations with Poland to a very good level,” the official added. “These are, I would say, gestures showing a return to the best traditions of strong bilateral ties.”
Magyar continues his official visit in Austria
The Hungarian government is seeking Poland’s support in talks to unlock EU funds, as both countries have had similar rule of law disputes.
Following his visit to Poland, Magyar will travel to Vienna on Thursday to restart bilateral relations with Austria, which also became highly tense in the last years of Orban’s government.
The Hungarian prime minister, whose goals include reviving cooperation within the Visegrad Group, which includes Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, has proposed extending it to other countries in the region, including Austria. Cooperation between the V4 countries has been frozen for all intents and purposes, primarily due to disagreements over Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Austrian news agency APA noted.
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Delegation already departed for Poland
The delegation has already departed for Kraków. It was Péter Magyar’s decision to begin the official visit in the former seat of the Kingdom of Poland, out of respect for Pope John Paul II, who served as the city’s archbishop. They travelled there on scheduled flights with a transfer in Vienna. Magyar said they would continue their journey from Kraków to Warsaw by train.
This in itself marks a significant difference compared with the Orbán governments, which regularly travelled everywhere by plane and made use of Hungarian Air Force aircraft for that purpose.
The current delegation consists of Minister for Economy and Energy István Kapitány, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Anita Orbán, Minister of Transport Dávid Vitézy, Minister of Defence Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, Minister of Culture Zoltán Tarr, and Minister of Agriculture Szabolcs Bóna. In Poland, Magyar is set to meet the Polish prime minister, the president, and the speakers of both parliament and the senate.
Magyar said he would travel from Warsaw to Vienna on Thursday morning to meet the Austrian chancellor and president. In the afternoon, he will return home by train from Austria.
Magyar has also appointed Bálint Ruff as Hungary’s second deputy prime minister.
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