Poland’s president-elect Karol Nawrocki has praised Hungary as a key ally and pledged to reinvigorate the Visegrád Group in his first international interview, given to Hungarian newspaper Mandiner.
In a clear message of alignment with Central Europe’s national-conservative governments, Nawrocki expressed admiration for Hungary’s leadership and committed to closer cooperation on regional, economic, and cultural matters.
“Hungary is a very important partner for Poland,” Nawrocki said. “We have a beautiful shared history, including our common resistance to communist power. I have many friends in Hungary, both personally and institutionally.” He named Hungarian historian Réka Kiss and the leadership of the Hungarian National Memory Institute among his long-time contacts.
He promised to give full attention to reviving the Visegrád format — an alliance that he said could unlock the potential of Central and Eastern Europe not only militarily, but also socially and economically. “I can declare with full responsibility that the Visegrád Group is a priority for me,” he said, confirming plans for deeper ties within NATO’s eastern flank and the Bucharest Nine.
Though he has not yet met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Nawrocki made clear he sees him as a capable and legitimate leader. “I try not to judge those I haven’t met personally,” he said, “but I’ve followed his official statements, and the election results in Hungary speak for themselves. I absolutely look forward to working with him and building good cooperation for the sake of our region.”
The Polish president-elect, who defeated the liberal mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski in an eventual run-off last week, said he intends to restore sovereignty, calm, and what he called “normality” to Polish political life. “That’s exactly why I became president,” he told Mandiner. “To bring back peace, order, and stability to Poland.”
Nawrocki described the last two years of liberal rule as a period of institutional abuse, in which state institutions were used for partisan purposes with the backing of Brussels and the European People’s Party. “This campaign was unlike anything Poland has seen since 1989,” he said. “And yet, the European elites remained silent. If any of this had happened elsewhere, the EU would have triggered immediate action.”
He positioned himself as the voice of ordinary Poles who felt ignored or alienated under Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government. “The key to our success was that I gave voice to farmers who reject the Green Deal, to parents who don’t want foreign ideologies in our schools, and to all those whose voices weren’t heard in Tusk’s Poland,” he said.
Nawrocki emphasized that he is not against the European Union in principle but rejected what he called its federalist overreach. “I support the EU, but not as a quasi-state,” he said. “Poland wants to remain a free, sovereign nation within a union of equal states. Our identity, our Christian values, our thousand-year history — these are not negotiable.”
On foreign policy, Nawrocki took a strong stance against Russia, calling it a “post-imperial, neo-communist state” led by “a war criminal,” and confirmed Poland’s strategic commitment to Ukraine’s defense. However, he rejected fast-tracking Ukraine’s EU accession, warning that Polish interests must be protected, especially in agriculture.
“We must support Ukraine militarily and politically, but not at the expense of Polish farmers or our economy,” he said. “There must be compromise. Ukraine must understand that countries like Poland and Hungary also have their own interests and historical wounds that can’t be ignored.”
He specifically referenced the Volhynia massacres and the need for exhumations, stating that he did not support unfair economic competition in key sectors. “Poland was a leader in helping Ukraine, thanks to President Duda and the Polish people’s generosity, but our support must be met with respect.”
Concluding the interview, Nawrocki offered warm words for the Hungarian public and the Polish diaspora in Hungary. “I send greetings to the Hungarian people and to the Poles living there,” he said. “I hope we meet soon. My goal is simple: for the voice of the Polish people to be heard again in Warsaw, in Brussels, and across Europe.”
The full interview with Mandiner is available to watch here.
Be the first to comment