Péter Magyar, the winner of the Hungarian elections and the country’s incoming prime minister, has called on Viktor Orbán to lift his controversial veto on the €90 billion loan for Ukraine before vacating his office in May.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The financial scheme was agreed by the 27 leaders of the European Union in December, but Orbán used his veto in mid-February to block the legal procedure over an unrelated dispute with Kyiv involving the Druzhba pipeline, which carries low-cost Russian oil.

The spat featured prominently in Orbán’s failed re-election campaign.

“Viktor Orbán accepted the loan (in December), and he said during the election campaign that as long as there is no oil, there is no money,” Magyar said on Wednesday during his first interview with the Hungarian public broadcaster since 2024.

Magyar referred to the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who this week said the pipeline could be repaired “not completely, but enough to function” by the end of the month. The infrastructure was badly damaged in January by Russian drones.

The restoration of flows will be “very important for our country”, Magyar said, signalling his desire to continue purchases of Russian oil in the near term.

“In the next 30 days, the Orbán government is still operating as an executive government,” Magyar added.

“So I think, if Druzhba restarts, Viktor Orbán will release his technical veto.”

Only one element of the €90 billion loan, a regulation amending the EU budget that requires unanimity, is still on hold. In principle, Orbán could order his ambassador in Brussels to lift the veto at any time and complete the legislative procedure.

However, it is far from clear if Orbán, who made Zelenskyy the nemesis of his campaign, will allow this to happen before leaving office sometime in May.

The European Commission is quickly laying the groundwork to make the first transfer to Kyiv as soon as the deadlock is broken. The executive has a reserve of borrowed cash at hand, so it is just waiting for the legal blessing to go ahead.

On Tuesday, the Commission said the offer to send an external inspection to the Druzhba pipeline and pay for the repair with EU funds, which were made to placate Orbán, was still applicable after the election. (The inspection has not yet taken place.)

“We, of course, expect all EU leaders, all member states, to abide by their commitments,” a Commission spokesperson said.

After a bitter clash with Orbán over his “unacceptable” veto, capitals are keen to turn the page and leave the episode behind.

Speaking alongside Zelenskyy on Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the military funds under the loan “must be disbursed promptly”.

“Ukraine urgently needs them. Ukraine will then be able to finance its defence in the long term. Russia should take this seriously,” Merz said.

Zelenskyy echoed the message and expressed confidence that, under Magyar’s leadership, Hungary would stop blocking “important” decisions for Ukraine.

“I am sure that we will cooperate with Hungary. We have good relations between the people. We are neighbours. We will continue these relations,” Zelenskyy said.

“I think we need to build our relations on pragmatism. We can also have friendly relations based on agreements and treaties. This will only strengthen both countries.”

Besides the loan, Hungary, together with Slovakia, is currently vetoing the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. It is also blocking Ukraine’s accession process and the release of €6.6 billion in military aid under the European Peace Facility (EPF).

Tensions between Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni escalated Tuesday after the U.S. president publicly rebuked one of his closest European allies, accusing her of lacking “courage” and failing to support Washington’s efforts against Iran.

In a phone interview with Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, Trump called Meloni “unacceptable” and said he was “shocked” by her stance, according to the outlet’s English-language version.

The dispute with Trump was further fueled by Meloni’s criticism of his recent remarks targeting Pope Leo XIV, which she called “unacceptable,” prompting Trump to respond that “she is the one who is unacceptable.”

In a scathing rebuke of the Vatican’s call for Middle Eastern de-escalation, President Trump took to Truth Social to blast Pope Leo XIV. Labeling the pontiff “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump warned him to “focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.” The post, which quickly went viral, accused the first American pope of “catering to the Radical Left” at the expense of global security. 

MORE KEY US ALLIES BLOCK MILITARY FLIGHTS AS IRAN WAR RIFT WIDENS WITH TRUMP

In the interview to Corriere della Sera Trump also reiterated criticism of Pope Leo, saying the pontiff “has no idea what’s going on in Iran” and “doesn’t understand” what is at stake.

She “isn’t giving us any help, I’m shocked by her,” Trump said about Meloni in the six-minute conversation.

He went further, accusing Meloni of relying on Washington while refusing to act.

“They depend on Donald Trump to keep it open,” he said, referring to global energy routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

The comments mark a sharp shift in tone toward Meloni, who attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration and was praised by him as “a great leader” just weeks ago.

The White House and Meloni’s office did not immediately respond.

The public rift comes as Meloni has begun distancing herself from both Washington and Jerusalem amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.

RUBIO SAYS US MAY NEED TO ‘REEXAMINE’ NATO MEMBERSHIP AFTER ALLIES BLOCKED BASING, AIRSPACE HELP

On Tuesday, Meloni confirmed in a statement that Italy had suspended the automatic renewal of a long-standing defense cooperation agreement with Israel, signaling a significant recalibration in ties.

“In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,” she said, according to Reuters.

The move follows recent tensions between Rome and Jerusalem, including Israeli warning shots fired near Italian troops serving in southern Lebanon under a U.N. mandate, as well as growing Italian criticism of Israeli military operations in the region.

Israel downplayed the impact of the decision, saying the agreement was largely symbolic and “has never contained any substantive content,” Reuters reported.

In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized the government following Italy’s move.

“Italy’s decision to suspend the defense cooperation agreement with Israel is another embarrassing failure of the prime minister and the non-existent foreign minister,” Lapid wrote on X.

TRUMP SAYS HE’S CONSIDERING PULLING US OUT OF NATO OVER IRAN WAR STANCE

“Meloni is not a left-wing progressive European leader,” she added. “She belongs to the conservative right and understands the need to fight terrorism.” 

Meloni’s shift reflects what analysts describe as a broader political repositioning, as the war’s economic fallout, particularly rising energy costs, weighs heavily on Italy’s import-dependent economy and public opinion.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended Meloni, reaffirming Italy’s alliance with the United States while emphasizing that cooperation must be grounded in “loyalty, respect and mutual frankness.”

The escalating tensions highlight growing fractures within Western alliances as the U.S.-led confrontation with Iran reverberates across Europe, forcing leaders like Meloni to balance strategic partnerships with domestic political realities.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Israel Defense Ministry declined to comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.