Foreign Minister’s Comment on Potential Orbán-Zelensky Meeting
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó discussed improving relations with Ukraine during a press conference in Brussels after the last EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting of the year. The meeting began with an informal exchange of views with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Szijjártó also met with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna at their request.
He had a phone call last week with Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration. Szijjártó informed Yermak that Hungary is interested in improving relations with all its neighbors. When asked about rumors of a summit between the Hungarian and Ukrainian leaders, Szijjártó said that a top-level meeting should only take place when there is a prospect of appropriate actions.
Regarding the EU’s contribution to the payment of €500 million for arms supplies to Ukraine, Szijjártó pointed out that the Hungarian government has not yet participated, as some of Kiev’s actions violate Hungary’s interests. Specifically, the list of international sponsors of the war still includes Hungarian entities and individuals, mainly linked to OTP Bank. He also demanded a detailed account of how the EU’s €80 billion support to Ukraine has been used.
Szijjártó also mentioned that the new Ukrainian minority law will be analyzed with Hungarian organizations in Transcarpathia, but it is already clear that it would not restore the rights that have been gradually withdrawn since 2015, creating a situation of uncertainty.
Overall, the press conference highlighted the ongoing effort to improve relations between Hungary and Ukraine, while addressing various concerns and interests of the Hungarian government.
