The Hungarian Foreign Minister did not mince his words during the annual MCC Fest in EsztergomContinue reading
Instead of waging sanctions, Europe must strive to forge peace between Russia and Ukraine, according to Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
The Hungarian government condemns military aggression against Ukraine and stands on the side of the victims, but its greatest responsibility is to protect the Hungarian people and by all means prevent the country’s involvement in the war, said Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the MCC Feszt in Esztergom on Saturday.
“The government must not allow Hungarian people to be forced to pay for the price of the war,”
Szijjártó stressed.
At the festival organized by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, the Minister pointed out that relations with Russia must be maintained. Russia’s vicinity is a reality in Central Europe, and cutting communications channels would hinder the possibility of a diplomatic settlement of the conflict, he explained.
Szijjártó stressed that only peace can offer a solution. He condemned the EU’s sanctions policy for causing more harm to European countries than to Russia. According to the Foreign Minister, only a Russian-American agreement can guarantee the end of the war. He welcomed the recent talks between US state secretary Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.
On the topic of Hungary’s and Europe’s energy security, Szijjártó stressed that it is not an ideological or philosophical matter but a “hardcore physical reality.” He noted that Hungary’s annual natural gas demand is 8.5 billion cubic meters, and acquiring this volume would be impossible without Russian energy sources. “How are we going to heat in the winter if I do not buy gas from the Russians?”, he asked, referring to criticism coming from opposition journalists. The Foreign Minister stressed that Hungary will have no problem with natural gas supplies in the winter.
Commenting on US-Hungarian relations, Szijjártó expressed his reservations about the remarks that David Pressman, the USA’s ambassador nominee, made at a Senate hearing.
Featured photo via Facebook/Péter Szijjártó