"Hungary belongs to the peace camp," Viktor Orbán wrote on Twitter.Continue reading
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stressed the importance of a ceasefire as soon as possible, after holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the European Council in Brussels.
“Saving lives is only possible with peace and a ceasefire. We Hungarians remain on the side of peace,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stressed in a video posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.
He stressed that Hungary had provided the largest humanitarian aid to Ukraine in its history last year. “We have allowed over a million refugees from Ukraine to cross our borders,” Orbán added. After listening to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Orbán concluded:
it is obvious that this war is dragging on, we cannot expect it to end any time soon.”
Orbán emphasized that “Hungarians will continue to help the Ukrainians with humanitarian aid, but we will not supply weapons in the future either.” He said that peace negotiations, a ceasefire as quickly as possible, and a settlement leading to lasting peace remained in Hungary’s interests.
The Hungarian prime minister, together with his Greek, Croatian, and Slovenian counterparts, the Austrian chancellor, and the Bulgarian and Cypriot presidents, also attended a separate meeting with Zelensky at the EU summit in Brussels.
Orbán’s political director Balázs Orbán told journalists in Brussels that Hungary also supports Kiev’s EU integration efforts on condition that EU requirements are fully met.
Part of the requirements is the protection and strengthening of the rights of national minorities,”
he noted. Balázs Orbán said that Hungary does not support sanctions, but in the interests of EU unity, it will not prevent certain measures from being taken, except in areas of vital Hungarian national interest. These include energy, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy.
Hungary’s position remains clear: we stand by Ukraine & we support UA’s EU accession but we’re also on the side of peace.
Ceasefire, peace talks, long-term settlement & security arrangement- these are the priorities in this conflict. pic.twitter.com/wSBsGIZF5Z
— Balázs Orbán (@BalazsOrban_HU) February 9, 2023
Featured photo via Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán