Martin calls himself 'ultimate diplomat' for skipping football talk with Hungary's PM

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin playfully referred to himself as "the ultimate diplomat" after meeting with Hungary's new leader, Péter Magyar, in Budapest. When asked if he had brought up Troy Parrott's hat-trick that ended Hungary's World Cup dreams in a match against Ireland, Martin quipped that he chose diplomacy over discussing football.

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I was the ultimate diplomat.

Their meeting focused on substantive issues, including the priorities of Ireland's upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Both leaders acknowledged the historical resilience shared by the Irish and Hungarian people, viewing it as a strong foundation for their current cultural and economic relations. Magyar praised Ireland's "pragmatic and balanced approach" to the EU presidency and offered support for its plans to enhance competitiveness.

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It is clear that Irish and Hungarian people have shared a remarkable resilience ... that provided a strong foundation for the good relations we enjoy today, culturally and economically.

Martin outlined key objectives for Ireland's EU presidency, emphasizing a drive to improve Europe's economic performance. This includes simplifying regulations, strengthening the single market, expanding trade connections, reducing energy costs, and advancing artificial intelligence transformation. He also touched upon the challenges of increasing energy demands from digitalization and AI, while reaffirming Ireland's commitment to renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. Martin stressed the importance of integrating decarbonization and digitalization efforts.

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pragmatic and balanced approach

Before traveling to Montenegro for the EU-Western Balkans Summit, Martin also held discussions with Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Orbán and National Assembly Speaker Ágnes Forsthoffer. This visit marked the first time an Irish leader had visited Hungary since Magyar's election victory in April, which ended Viktor Orbán's 16-year tenure.

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secure a step change in Europe’s economic performance through simplifying rules, deepening the single market, building our trade connections, reducing energy costs, and driving the AI [artificial intelligence] transformation