The key facts

  • Péter Magyar won the parliamentary elections in April and was warmly received in Brussels
  • In May, a deal was reached with von der Leyen on the release of €16.4 billion in frozen funds
  • Hungary lifted its veto on opening the negotiation clusters for Ukraine's EU accession; migration and the rights of sexual minorities remain contentious topics

Budapest's new policy towards Brussels

Euronews' weekly debate programme The Ring travelled to Budapest to find out how Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar is recalibrating relations with the European Union after years of tension under the previous government. Magyar won a convincing victory in the parliamentary elections in April and was warmly received in Brussels.

Unlocking funds and lifting the veto on Ukraine

In May, Magyar reached an agreement with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the release of €16.4 billion in funds that had been frozen over long-standing concerns about the rule of law and corruption. Hungary also lifted its veto on the opening of the negotiation clusters for Ukraine's EU accession.

Remaining disagreements

A number of issues remain unresolved, including migration and the rights of sexual minorities. The episode of The Ring devoted to the question of whether Magyar has fulfilled his promise to return Hungary to the heart of the EU featured Tibor Navracsics — a former minister in Viktor Orbán's government and former European Commissioner — and István Szent-Iványi, a foreign policy expert and former ambassador.