Peace in Ukraine would save lives, that is why the Hungarian government urges a ceasefire and immediate peace talks, the minister of foreign affairs and trade told Croatian news channel N1 on Sunday.
Concerning Hungary’s position, different from the rest of the European Union, Péter Szijjártó referred to Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarian community, whose members were fighting in the Ukrainian military. “German or Danish soldiers do not die in this war but Hungarians do,” he said. The minister insisted that “war rhetoric is now much stronger on this hemisphere than that of peace”, but said he hoped the European and transatlantic communities would also adopt the Hungarian position. Hungary is “not part of the conflict” therefore “it is not up to the Hungarian government to say what should happen after a ceasefire,” Szijjártó said, but added that “geographical integrity and sovereignty must be observed”. “It is also clear who attacked whom , and Hungary condemns Russia for the war,” he said.
Answering a question suggesting that ending the war was up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Szijjártó said “there are clearly two parties in a war”, and said he hoped “they will talk because both will want sustainable peace”. Should the war escalate, it will not happen “thousands of kilometres away, but in the neighbouring regions … Hungary does not want to participate in this war”, he said.
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Asked about the possibility of a visit by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Kyiv, Szijjártó said the PM had received an invitation and “now the technical details need to be clarified”.
“When all conditions are set, there may be a visit,” he said. On another subject, Szijjártó called talks under way between Hungary and the EU on community funding “frustrating”. He said the EU’s freezing the funds due to Hungary was “no problem in terms of the budget”, but it was “a matter of principle”. Funds to members from the EU budget are “not humanitarian donations” and refusing to make those payments for political reasons is “unacceptable”, he insisted.
The conflict between Hungary and the EU “arises from the fact that Brussels does not like the way the government rules the country”, he said, adding that the government “opposes federalism and supports national competencies”. “We are a right-wing, patriotic and Christian government running fully against the mainstream and Brussels cannot swallow that,” he said.
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Concerning Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership, Szijjártó said the Hungarian government supported their bids, adding he thought parliament would support a relevant proposal by the government now before the assembly. Asked about Hungary’s support for the Bosnian Serb Republic, Szijjártó said Hungary had “very good” relations with Serbia, and considered stability in the Western Balkans crucial. Economic stability is a key component, that is why the Hungarian government supports small and medium-sized companies in the Bosnian republic, he added.
Source: MTI
5 Comments
Stop conflating those who have lived in Ukraine e for generations as “Hungarians dying for Ukraine”. They are not, they are dying for their homeland, Ukraine. There are many Ukrainians with links to other countries in their heredity fighting g for their homeland, Ukraine. Peter should show the same bravery standing up to Putin and Victor, but he is afraid, too afraid to tell the truth, too afraid to be a man.
Obviously easier to visit Minsk than Kyiv – https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-szijjarto-belarus-visit-eu/32269829.html
Mr. Szijjártó perhaps missed Commissioner Elisa Ferreira’s succinct explanation re the funds matter, last month: “EU funds are a sign of solidarity of all Europeans with the people of Hungary. These investments can only be effective if accompanied by the appropriate institutional and legal environment and if implemented in line with the EU’s rules and values.” #playbytherules
Hungary may want peace, but Russia, Ukraine and most of the rest of the world don’t care about what Hungary wants.
Orban and his foreign minister must be one of the few neighbouring leaders not to have visited Ukraine since this war began. Instead they have visited Russia and commented on the sidelines. It can be understood that they don’t want to see Hungary being involved in any war with Russia, but it doesn’t mean they have to go and shake hands with the bullies who have carried out this horrendous invasion. The sooner these two slick talking politicians get on a train into Ukraine the better
Peter, though shall not steal. Real Christians do not steal.