BUDAPEST: Hungary’s incoming prime minister Peter Magyar said on Monday the country will execute International Criminal Court warrants against anyone, after he invited Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu — wanted under just such a warrant — to Budapest later this year.

In 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes — including starvation as a method of warfare — in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Hungary’s outgoing nationalist leader Viktor Orban announced last year that his country was withdrawing from the ICC, after meeting with Netanyahu in Budapest. The withdrawal was due to take effect by June 2 this year.

Last week Magyar made clear he wants Hungary to reverse that decision — but he also invited the Israel premier to visit Budapest again in October, according to an Israeli readout of a call between the two leaders.

Incoming prime minister calls on Ukraine to restart damaged oil pipeline as soon as possible

Asked by a reporter to clarify, Magyar said he issued invitations to all prime ministers and presidents he spoke on the phone for the 70th anniversary of Hungary’s anti-Soviet uprising of 1956.

But he also said that he had made it clear, “even to the Israeli prime minister”, that it was his intention to stop the country’s withdrawal from the ICC.

“If someone is a member of the International Criminal Court and a person who is wanted enters our country, then they must be taken into custody,” the pro-EU conservative told reporters.

“I don’t need to spell everything out over the phone. I assume that every head of state and government is familiar with these laws,” he added.

Magyar also said his incoming government can halt the withdrawal process before Hungary formally leaves the ICC.

Furious at arrest warrants issued for its ally Netanyahu, the United States has slapped sanctions on top ICC judges and prosecutors. The United Nations has criticised the sanctions as “reprisals”.

Druzhba pipeline

Hungarian election winner Peter Magyar called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday to reopen the damaged Druzhba pipeline as soon as it is functional, and for Russia to resume oil shipments through it.

Hungary’s outgoing government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Slovakia have been in a dispute with Ukraine over the suspension of Russian oil supplies over Ukrainian territory through the Soviet-era pipeline. Kyiv says the pipeline was shut due to a Russian attack in late January.

“If on the Ukrainian side the Druzhba pipeline is ready for oil shipments, then they should kindly reopen it as they had promised,” Magyar told a news conference after the first meeting of his parliamentary group.

“And from Russia, we expect them to start feeding oil (into the pipeline) in line with the contracts, because this will not work without either.” Magyar also said the expansion of the PAKS nuclear power plant was an important and necessary project but the new government would have to look into the financing conditions of a construction loan and see whether restructuring or refinancing were possible.

The 12.5 billion euro Paks-2 project, which Magyar said could cost 24 billion to complete, was awarded to Russia’s Rosatom without a competitive tender and has long been cited as a symbol of close ties between President Vladimir Putin and Orban.

“We have to examine whether the loan conditions can be restructured, whether this important and necessary investment can be financed with better conditions,” Magyar said.

“We also need to see whether the market can be opened up and the process can be accelerated.”

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026