Orbán cabinet urges OSCE Chief: Russia must be included in Europe’s new security framework

Hungary’s security depends on East-West cooperation, and the OSCE is the best forum for ensuring it, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said at a joint press conference with OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu on Tuesday, adding that the government “supports its operations” and even wanted the organisation strengthened.

Hungary’s historical experience shows the benefits of civilised cooperation between East and West, as well as the “serious problems” which emerge in its absence, a ministry statement quoted him as saying.

Szijjártó said Hungarians lost “forty years of our lives” due to the conflict between East and West.

He said the war in Ukraine and responses to it had ratcheted up tensions between East and West and risked the war’s escalation, with a possible third world war on the cards. US President Donald Trump had, he added, returned the hope of civilised cooperation, and diplomatic channels between Washington and Moscow now flowing again was the “most heartening and reassuring development” of recent years, and now the risk escalation had been reduced. Hungary’s government supports US-Russia dialogue, which offered the best hope of a diplomatic settlement, he said.

But the minister also pointed to “dangers” surrounding the peace agreement, arguing that “Brussels” presented a threat to it. “So we call on politicians in Brussels not to hamper peace negotiations” or endanger their successful outcome, he added.

Szijjártó said that the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) would guarantee Europe’s ability to restore its long-term security and competitiveness by ensuring continuous civilised dialogue between East and West, given that it was “founded for this very purpose.” He added that any attempt to weaken the OSCE as a platform for East-West dialogue would be “harmful and dangerous.”

Embarking on the road towards establishing a new European security architecture would only make sense if both Türkiye and Russia were involved, too, Szijjártó said.

Meanwhile, the minister said it was regrettable that the Gaza ceasefire had not entered its second phase yet. This would have given a chance for the last Hungarian hostage to return home and for the family of the slain Hungarian hostage to receive the body. Szijjártó said Hungary wanted Hamas to release “every single living hostage still in captivity as soon as possible”, including the Hungarian hostage, “so we greatly appreciate all attempts at mediation, whether from the US, Qatar or Egypt.”