European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and French President Emmanuel Macron are due in Budapest on Friday for a ceremony marking 70 years since Hungary’s 1956 uprising. Their attendance signals a possible reset in relations between Hungary and EU institutions after years of disputes under former prime minister Viktor Orbán.
The visit comes after Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party won power in April. Magyar’s government has promised to bring Hungary closer to the European mainstream, improve relations with Brussels and adopt a tougher position towards Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A symbolic visit for EU-Hungary relations
The Budapest ceremony will commemorate the uprising that began on 23 October 1956, when Hungarian students and other citizens protested against Soviet occupation. The movement developed into a nationwide revolt before being suppressed by the Soviet army.
For von der Leyen, the trip will be her first visit to Hungary since attending a European Political Community summit in Budapest in 2024. Her presence, alongside Costa and Macron, gives the commemoration a strong European dimension.
The event is expected to serve both as a historical remembrance and as a political signal. European leaders can honour Hungary’s resistance to Soviet rule while indicating support for the country’s new government and its stated intention to rebuild cooperation with the European Union.
How Hungary’s position has changed
The planned meeting marks a sharp contrast with the relationship between Brussels and Orbán’s government. During Orbán’s years in power, Hungary frequently opposed or delayed EU initiatives linked to Ukraine, including financial and military assistance for Kyiv.
Hungary also maintained close political ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, creating repeated tensions with other EU member states. Disagreements extended beyond foreign policy to wider disputes involving the rule of law, democratic standards and the use of EU funds.
Magyar’s administration has taken a different approach. It has identified Russia as a security threat and backed the opening of four negotiating clusters in Ukraine’s accession talks with the EU. The move places Budapest closer to the position held by most EU governments on Ukraine’s European future.
What the change could mean for Brussels
A closer relationship would not automatically resolve every outstanding disagreement between Hungary and EU institutions. Nor does attendance at a commemoration amount to a formal EU decision or a new agreement.
However, the visit could create space for practical cooperation on several issues:
- support for Ukraine and its EU accession process;
- European security and Russia-related policy;
- Hungary’s engagement with the European Commission and the Council of the European Union;
- the settlement of long-running institutional and funding disputes.
The ceremony may therefore be an important diplomatic opportunity, even though the source information does not indicate that formal negotiations will take place in Budapest.
Will Zelenskyy attend?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been invited to the event, but Magyar has said he is unlikely to attend. The Hungarian prime minister has stated that he invited European leaders other than Putin, while the complete list of participants had not yet been released.
Zelenskyy’s presence would have carried particular symbolism. The 1956 uprising was directed against Soviet domination, while Ukraine is defending itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion. His attendance could have drawn a direct historical parallel between Hungary’s past struggle and Ukraine’s current war.
Even without Zelenskyy, the commemoration gives European leaders an opportunity to express solidarity with Ukraine and to underline the importance of national sovereignty and resistance to external coercion.
Why the anniversary matters beyond Hungary
The 1956 uprising remains one of the defining events in modern Hungarian history. It is also part of the wider European memory of Soviet domination in Central and Eastern Europe.
For the European Union, the anniversary offers a setting in which history, security and current diplomacy intersect. A public appearance by senior EU leaders with Magyar could demonstrate that relations with Budapest are entering a new phase, while also reminding audiences of the principles that underpin European cooperation.
Any lasting improvement will depend on policy rather than ceremony. The direction of Hungary’s approach to Ukraine, its engagement with EU institutions and its handling of domestic rule-of-law concerns will be closely relevant to future EU-Hungary relations.
What happens next?
Von der Leyen, Costa and Macron are expected to attend the Budapest ceremony on Friday, with Magyar acting as host. The participation of additional leaders, including Zelenskyy, remained uncertain in the information available.
The immediate event is commemorative rather than legislative. It will not by itself change EU law, determine Ukraine’s accession timetable or settle all disputes between Budapest and Brussels. Its significance lies in the political message: Hungary’s new government is seeking closer engagement with the EU, and leading European figures are prepared to meet it in that setting.
Conclusion
The Budapest gathering is a highly symbolic moment in current EU news, bringing senior European leaders together with Hungary’s Péter Magyar to mark the 1956 uprising. It points to a possible thaw in EU-Hungary relations, but the durability of that reset will be judged by future decisions on Ukraine, European security and cooperation with EU institutions.
