Hungarian FM Szijjártó discusses improving relations with Ukrainian counterpart

Hungary has a vested interest in restoring good relations with Ukraine, as the present situation harms both countries as well as the ethnic Hungarian community living in Ukraine, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Wednesday, after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba.

At a joint press conference with Kuleba, held in Uzhhorod (Ungvar), western Ukraine, Szijjártó said Hungary was ready to partly finance the reconstruction of the hospital in Berehove (Beregszász), reconstruct a bridge over the river Tisza near Záhony, build a bypass road in Berehove and extend Hungary’s M3 motorway to the Ukrainian border by the end of 2021.

The Hungarian delegation also brought 50 ventilators to Ukraine “as a sign of good will”, he said.

Szijjártó noted that

the government had used a total 90 billion forints (EUR 247m) to assist development projects in Ukraine in the past six years.

He assured his counterpart of Hungary’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and said that the Hungarian government would ensure that gas supplies to Ukraine would be continued and Ukrainians allowed a transit through Hungary to Western Europe. He added that Hungary had one of the largest contingents in the Eastern European OSCE mission, and “it will stay so in future”.