US ambassador Pressman visits Hungary-Ukraine border

US Ambassador David Pressman paid a visit to Hungary’s northeast border region with Ukraine as part of a “two-day security-focused trip” across the country, the US embassy said in a statement on Wednesday.

The ambassador met Ukrainian refugees currently housed in a shelter in Mariapocs, according to the statement.

Speaking to reporters after private conversations with the residents of the shelter, Pressman said Russia’s continued attacks were “appalling but not surprising”.

“Russia continues to intentionally target and kill civilians,” the ambassador said.

“The United States wants peace in Ukraine. The United States wants this war to end. The man who can end this war today is Vladimir Putin.”

Pressman vowed that the US would “continue to stand resolutely and unequivocally with the victims of Putin’s war”.

The ambassador later travelled to Mátészalka and then Beregsurány, where he met the village’s mayor, István Herka, before visiting the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta to get an understanding of the efforts being made for refugees fleeing Ukraine.

“It is inspiring to see the work of civil society organizations supporting their neighbors fleeing the devastation in Ukraine,” he said.

Pressman also paid a visit to the Hungary-Ukraine border crossing at Beregsurány where he met border officials to get an understanding of their experiences with refugees.

“As a frontline of NATO and the European Union, Hungary’s facilitation of safe, humane travel for refugees escaping the tragedies and injustices brought about by the Kremlin is essential to the security of our European Allies,”

the ambassador said.

The statement quoted Pressman as saying that “while others may try to distract from the very real threats to our shared security caused by Russia’s war, the United States will continue to support Ukraine’s ability to defend its people, its sovereignty, and its independence.” He said visiting the border region was “an important reminder that Russia’s brutal war continues just over the border and can only end when Vladimir Putin commits to a just and lasting peace for the people of Ukraine”.

“The United States and our Allies’ enduring and unequivocal support remains key to securing that just and lasting peace,” he said.

As we wrote today, the Hungarian National Information Center made its verdict on the truth of the statements and allegations about the potential wiretapping of Hungarian politicians in the leaked Pentagon Papers, details HERE.