British, Hungarian foreign ministers urge observing terms of Minsk agreement

Budapest, February 27 (MTI) – UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto urged all sides in Ukraine to fully observe the terms of the Minsk agreement.

After talks with Hammond on Friday morning, Szijjarto told a joint press conference that they had discussed ways to improve the European Union’s competitiveness, energy security, immigration, the Ukraine crisis and the fight against the Islamic State.

He added that they were in agreement that only a peaceful solution in Ukraine would be acceptable.

Szijjarto said that Hungary would continue to stick to all common European decisions concerning Ukraine.

Hammond said the separatists had already breached the terms of the Minsk agreement. Open conflict is decreasing in intensity but it cannot be known what the separatists will do next, and all eventualities must be prepared for, he said, adding that Russia was prosecuting its interests with ever greater force. European sanctions are effective but Russia is trying to divide members of the bloc, Hammond said. EU member states will retain sanctions until which time the sides fully comply with the terms of the Minsk agreement, he added.

Hammond said that Ukraine’s troops must not be left to disintegrate but for the time being arms would not be supplied to Ukraine.

Speaking about European issues, Szijjarto said that Hungary and the UK had done much to improve European competitiveness, and both countries had shown major economic growth and good employment numbers. In order to secure EU competitiveness over the long term, it is important that the bloc be open to strategic cooperation with countries and regions outside Europe, he said.