Hungary’s election winner Péter Magyar said he would take a call from Vladimir Putin—if one is placed—and would urge the Russian president to end the war in Ukraine. Magyar made the remarks during his first news conference after a landslide victory over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a longtime political ally of Putin, signaling a more direct approach toward Moscow than many in Europe associated with Orbán’s tone about the conflict.
Magyar said that if “Vladimir Putin calls,” he would “pick up the phone.” He added that, if they did talk, he could tell Putin it would be “nice to end the killing after four years and end the war.” Magyar also said he did not expect Putin to end the war based on his advice, saying it “would probably be a short phone conversation” and that he “don’t think he would end the war on my advice.”
The reaction to Magyar’s win extended beyond Hungary’s borders, particularly in European Union capitals where Orbán’s relationship with Moscow had repeatedly complicated EU decision-making. European leaders and officials had increasingly worked around Orbán as he slowed actions and blocked consensus, including in areas tied to support for Ukraine and European security planning.
Those hopes centered on the possibility that Hungary’s new government could enable the European Commission to deliver a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine, a package that Orbán had agreed to in December before backtracking and enraging other EU leaders. After Magyar takes office and is sworn in in May, diplomats said EU officials will discuss on Wednesday how to fast-track the funds to Kyiv, with a Cypriot official describing the timing process on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to be named.
The EU’s potential path forward is especially sensitive because Hungary borders Ukraine. Orbán, who spent years in power pursuing a pro-Russia line and demonizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has been seen as a central hold-up to consensus policies from the bloc. In comments after Magyar’s victory, Zelenskyy said on X that “we are ready for meetings and joint constructive work for the benefit of both nations, as well as for the sake of Europe’s peace, security, and stability.”
Russian officials, for their part, signaled continuity rather than a sudden reversal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia respects the Hungarian vote and expects to maintain contacts with the country’s new leadership. He said that “as for what action Hungary’s new leadership will take, we probably need to be patient and see what happens.”
European institutions also framed the election as a potential end to Orbán’s pattern of using Hungary’s position to slow or block EU initiatives, including moves related to Ukraine financing and defense alignment. Several leaders praised Magyar’s election as a sign that Europe could act faster, pointing to how Orbán had held up decisions and even supported or blocked aspects of alliance planning. Ursula von der Leyen, at a news conference in Brussels, said, “Today, Europe is Hungarian,” adding that “The people of Hungary have spoken and they have reclaimed their European path.”
Magyar’s outreach was not limited to Ukraine. He told The Associated Press that he would work more closely with the European Union and with the 32-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance created to thwart aggression from Moscow. He also said that on Sunday night—before he even went on stage to announce his victory—he received calls from French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Among reactions after the vote, political figures in Europe’s establishment and opposition also weighed in on what the result could mean for the continent’s broader political landscape. The defeat of Orbán, who had developed close ties with populist allies abroad and drew support from the U.S. political orbit during the campaign, reverberated across the Atlantic as well, where U.S. President Donald Trump backed Orbán’s reelection bid and sent Vice President JD Vance to Budapest last week to campaign for the incumbent.
German lawmaker Daniel Freund said the outcome signaled a shift beyond Hungary, saying “Hungarians are sending a signal to the world.” Freund added that Orbán’s “icon of illiberal anti-European forces has now failed — brought down by a disastrous economy, corruption and his own unfair electoral system,” and the campaign’s wider implications were also followed in Germany and France, where nationalist parties have made gains.
At the same time, Orbán’s populist allies inside the EU congratulated Magyar while also praising the ousted strongman. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said they would work with Hungary’s next leader, but Fico also raised the Druzhba pipeline, which had been shut after an attack in Ukraine—an issue Orbán had campaigned on and one that has been tied to rising energy prices. Magyar criticized Orbán’s government for not diversifying Hungary’s energy mix, and he said he would seek new agreements and build infrastructure to bring oil and gas from other sources into landlocked Hungary.