Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar travelled to Türkiye early on Monday to attend the NATO summit, marking his first appearance at the alliance’s gathering as head of government.
In a Facebook post published on Sunday, Magyar said he would return to Hungary on 12 July after spending four days with his sons on the Turkish coast following the official programme.
During his absence, Deputy Prime Minister Bálint Ruff will assume the prime minister’s domestic responsibilities.
In a video accompanying the announcement, Magyar said he would attend the NATO summit on Tuesday and Wednesday together with Hungary’s foreign minister and defence minister, meaning he would not participate in Monday’s and Tuesday’s parliamentary sittings.
He described the meeting as an important milestone, noting that it would be the first NATO summit at which he represents Hungary as prime minister.
Magyar said recent weeks had demonstrated the value of being a reliable but constructive partner within the international community. He pointed to an agreement reached with Ukraine on the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, the revival of cooperation within the Visegrád Group, and what he described as the successful release of approximately HUF 6 trillion in previously frozen European Union funding.
According to the prime minister, the recovered funds will enable new investments in transport, healthcare, energy and economic development that had been delayed under the previous government.
He said he intended to conduct talks in Türkiye in a constructive spirit with allied leaders, stressing that Hungary’s interests are best served by remaining a strong country and an active member of strong international alliances.
Magyar also recalled previous discussions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, saying both agreed that Hungarian troops continue to perform outstanding work as part of the alliance’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
He added that Hungary should continue strengthening both its sovereignty and its role within NATO and the European Union.
The prime minister also highlighted the European Union’s SAFE defence financing instrument, saying it offers an opportunity to strengthen the Hungarian Defence Forces while also supporting civilian infrastructure projects, including transport, healthcare and other public investments.
He criticized the previous government over its proposed use of the €16 billion SAFE loan facility, alleging that the plans submitted before 12 April were designed to benefit corrupt interests. He said his government would use the financing responsibly and only where genuinely necessary.
Because of the NATO summit, Magyar said he would miss parliamentary speeches on Monday and Tuesday for the first time as prime minister. He announced that Minister Dávid Vitézy would deliver the government’s opening address in parliament in his place.
The prime minister also said he had declined the use of a military aircraft for the trip and would instead travel on a scheduled Wizz Air flight to Istanbul before continuing by car to Ankara. He added that his government had cancelled the luxury accommodation booked by the previous administration and had sought to minimize both the size of the delegation and accommodation costs.
Magyar also disclosed that his two younger sons would accompany him to Türkiye. He stressed that all of their travel and personal expenses would be paid privately.
Following the NATO summit, he will travel to Antalya with his children for four days before returning to Hungary on Sunday evening. He said he would remain in constant contact with members of the government during his stay abroad, participate in preparations for cabinet meetings, and receive briefings before all major decisions.
Magyar said he expects to return to parliament on 13 July, when he will once again deliver the government’s opening address.
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