Szijjártó was asked if Hungary is closer to NATO or Russia. He said, "Come on. We are members of NATO and we are members of the European Union."Continue reading
According to press reports, the US warned allies in Europe that they fear a Russian attack as early as next Wednesday. Most Western countries already started evacuating their citizens from Ukraine earlier, and have urged people planning to travel to Ukraine to postpone their trip, as their safety cannot be guaranteed. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry also suggests canceling travel to Ukraine.
This article was originally published on our sister-site, Ungarn Heute.
“In light of the recent tensions between Ukraine and Russia, we urge you to reconsider and, if possible, postpone your trip to Ukraine,” the recommendation from the Hungarian consulate reads. They wrote:
All Hungarian citizens are reminded once again to register for consular protection if they do decide to travel to or stay in the region.
Travelers and Hungarians in the country are advised to closely follow local news and social media and follow the instructions of the authorities. The statement further emphasizes that if someone travels or stays in the country against the advice of the service, it should be noted that the consular service may not be able to guarantee assistance due to the security situation,” it says.
However, as of now, the Foreign Ministry is not planning to call home Hungarian citizens currently in Ukraine, let alone evacuating Hungarians from Ukraine. According to Péter Szijjártó’s Ministry, they “will decide on the issues depending on the actual developments.”
Many other European countries, including Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands, have already called on their citizens to leave Ukraine on Saturday. Previously, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others, had already done so.
The Security Service of Ukraine (NSS) has published the list of regions most at risk of terrorist threats due to growing tensions in the border area with Crimea and the war zone. The riskiest districts are marked in red and yellow, while the less dangerous ones are marked in blue and gray. The most problematic, i.e. red color, was assigned to Donetsk and Luhansk districts, and the Crimean border region. Zaporizhzhya, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kherson districts received a slightly weaker rating and were marked yellow. The Carpathian foothills, where most Hungarians live, have been placed in the blue category.
The Russians could invade Ukraine from the Donetsk region (where large troop withdrawals have taken place near the border), but also from Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, or from Belarus, where significant numbers of Russian troops are also located, CNN reported. During the secret briefings, the U.S. reportedly provided many details, according to several diplomats and military officials. For example, specific routes for the Russian invasion were described, as well as individual Russian units and what tasks they were to perform. The date for the possible start of the invasion was given as February 16.
U.S. President Joe Biden held talks with both the Russian and Ukrainian presidents over the weekend. Biden had reiterated the U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and made it clear that “the United States and its partners would respond quickly and decisively in the event of any further Russian aggression toward Ukraine.” On Saturday, Biden had threatened Putin with serious consequences.
Sources: Spiegel, Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Featured image via Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI
