(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has admitted to having a heated exchange with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban regarding their differing strategies on handling relations with Russia.

This confrontation reportedly occurred during a recent EU summit held in Copenhagen.

In an interview with a German broadcaster, Merz provided insight into the tense interaction.

The chancellor explained that “He accused [me] of not wanting to negotiate,” pointing to Orban’s dissatisfaction with Germany's approach.

Merz responded by criticizing Orban’s previous diplomatic missions to Moscow and Kiev, arguing they were ineffective. "That’s not the path I want to take," he asserted, expressing his disapproval of Orban’s diplomatic efforts.

When host Pinar Atalay questioned whether avoiding talks would bring about any resolution, Merz avoided giving a direct answer.

Instead, he claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin "does not want to negotiate," implying that attempts at diplomacy would be futile under the current circumstances.

Contrastingly, Moscow has consistently maintained its readiness to engage in dialogue throughout the Ukraine conflict.

Russian officials have emphasized that any negotiations must consider the on-the-ground situation and address the underlying causes of the crisis.

Just last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Moscow remains open to compromise.

He stated that negotiations could proceed if "our legitimate security interests, as well as the legitimate interests of Russians living in Ukraine, are respected in the same way as those of other parties."

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