Foreign Minister Anita Orbán discussed key issues concerning Hungarian-German cooperation with German counterpart Johann Wadephul in Berlin on Wednesday.
Anita Orbán: cooperation in an open, prepared and results-oriented manner
In a post on Facebook, Orbán said that at their meeting, she and Wadephul had begun preparing the autumn German-Hungarian forum, which the minister said would be “an important symbol” of their bilateral relations. The aim, Orbán said, was to continue the dialogue at the ministerial level in the autumn. The plans also include talks between the Hungarian and German ministers responsible for digitalisation, education, transport and energy affairs, she added.
Hungary, she said, was prepared to work with Germany in an open, prepared and results-oriented manner. Orbán noted that she had already met with Wadephul at last month’s meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, adding that today’s meeting in Berlin had been an opportunity to discuss key bilateral issues in more detail.
New momentum in German-Hungarian ties
At a joint press conference with Wadephul, Orbán said Hungarian-German ties had gained new momentum, and it was in both countries’ interest to “renew the bilateral ties which have unfortunately taken a back seat in recent years, to restore trust, restore the focus on shared values and identify further areas of cooperation”.
Hungarian-German ties, she said were built on tradition and a value-based system, with modern cooperation “rooted in a rich historical past”.
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Orbán noted that German companies create around 250,000-300,000 jobs in Hungary, indirectly affecting the lives of roughly one million people. She added that thousands of Hungarian students study in Germany, just as Hungary hosts thousands of German students. To maximise these opportunities, the two countries will strengthen cooperation between their ministries in the future, she said.
A German-Hungarian forum, symbolising the launch of this renewed cooperation, is planned for early October, Orbán said. “After years of cooler relations, Hungary aims to reset ties not only at the federal level but also with German states,” she added.
Ukraine’s EU accession
In response to a question about Ukraine, Orbán said efforts were being made to arrange an in-person meeting between the Ukrainian president and the Hungarian prime minister. She reiterated Hungary’s position that candidate countries should join the European Union based on merit and under the same conditions, a stance Hungary applies to all aspiring members. “Hungary does not support the supply of weapons to Ukraine and will not supply any,” she said.
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