"If someone had said 15 years ago that we would stand here today and speak in this tone about Slovak-Hungarian relations, few would have believed it," PM Orbán said. He emphasized that Slovakia and the Slovak people can always count on Hungary’s support, just as Hungarians count on Slovakia.
The prime minister highlighted that Slovaks living in Hungary are seen as a respected and valued part of the nation, and that Hungary remains committed to protecting their cultural and political identity.
Economic ties between the two nations have also reached a record level. PM Orbán reported that bilateral trade now exceeds €15 billion, making Slovakia Hungary’s third most important trading partner. Both countries, he stressed, are modern industrial economies, with a shared interest in avoiding economic conflicts such as tariff wars.
Energy security and sovereignty were central topics. PM Orbán criticized Ukraine’s blockade of gas transit routes, warning that such moves harm European integration. He announced that Hungary and Slovakia have already expanded gas interconnector capacity to 3.5 billion cubic meters and agreed to raise it by an additional 900 million cubic meters.
On international affairs, both prime ministers voiced strong alignment on the war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Fico called for an immediate ceasefire and rejected all military operations aimed at prolonging the conflict. Prime Minister Orbán confirmed Hungary’s full support for peace initiatives and praised the ongoing American-Russian talks for reducing the risk of escalation.
"The war has no solution on the battlefield," PM Orbán emphasized, urging Europe to focus on promoting peace rather than further fueling the conflict.
Migration and sovereignty were also highlighted. PM Orbán stressed that migration decisions must remain under national control, stating, "Who we live together with must be our own sovereign decision." Prime Minister Fico similarly rejected any EU attempts to impose migration quotas on member states, pledging Slovakia’s firm opposition to such measures.
Looking ahead, PM Orbán recalled that the number of border crossings between the two countries had already doubled, and announced plans for three new roads, three new bridges, and new railway connections as well.
Prime Minister Fico expressed hope that under Hungary’s upcoming Visegrád Four presidency, PM Orbán would work to revitalize regional cooperation. He also reaffirmed Slovakia’s support for Hungary’s efforts to defend national sovereignty inside the European Union.
The press conference concluded on a warm note, with Prime Minister Fico inviting PM Orbán to return anytime, noting that despite their long political careers, they still have "a lot of energy" left to work for their nations and for Europe.