„If there exists a country that has an interest in Ukraine being strong from both a political and economic perspective and in there being peace throughout the country’s entire territory, then that country is most certainly Hungary”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Wednesday in Budapest following a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart.
The Minister stressed that it is in everyone’s fundamental interests for the parties to do everything possible to ensure that the Minsk Agreements are fully realised; this is the prerequisite for making the current policy of sanctions a thing of the past, which is in everyone’s interests. This policy not only damages those against whom it is aimed, but also others, he pointed out.
One of the important goals of Hungarian economic, foreign and national policy is to continuously strengthen cooperating and relations with Ukraine, because it is in Hungary’s interests to have strong neighbours, as is the safety and security of the 150 thousand strong Hungarian community living in Ukraine. The ongoing war within the territory of Ukraine and its consequences represent a security risk and are causing serious economic damage; the volume of bilateral trade has dropped to half during the past two years, he explained.
Hungary is one of few countries that not only talk about supporting Ukraine, but are also acting to do so, the Minister said. Hungary is supporting Ukraine’s European integration efforts and the granting of visa-free travel providing the country meets the previously determined conditions and makes an effort to increase its energy security. Hungary is also supporting reforms within the framework of the Visegrád Group (V4) in addition to which it has already provided 2.3 billion million forints (EUR 7.5M) in support to Carpathian Ruthenia and 230 million forints in aid to other Ukrainian territories, Mr. Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary is also helping to provide care for wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
The Hungarian Foreign Minster welcomed the fact that relations between the Ukrainian Government and Hungarian political parties and organisations, as well as between the Ukrainian majority and Hungarian minority communities, in Carpathian Ruthenia are balanced. All Hungary has every asked and is asking from the Ukrainian Government is what it is requested to do by Hungarian living in Carpathian Ruthenia, and this will remain the case in future, he said.
Mr. Szijjártó also stated that Hungarian-Ukrainian economic cooperation must be turned around and accordingly Eximbank is providing a credit line of 27 million US Dollars to facilitate relations between Hungarian and Ukrainian enterprises, new regional Chambers of Deputies have been opened in Beregszász (Berehove) and Ungvár (Uzshorod), in addition to which the Government would like to make the Hungarian-Ukrainian border more easily crossable by opening new border crossing stations and increasing the capacities of existing ones.
In reply to a question, the Minister confirmed that Hungary has seen a recent influx of Ukrainian immigrants, although it is difficult to provide exact figures in view of the fact that anyone with a passport can cross the border freely. Some people are remaining in Hungary while others are travelling on towards Western Europe, he added.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin welcomed the fact that Hungary’s standpoint has always been that the Minsk demands must be fully met, because this is the only way to assure peace. The situation in Ukraine is affecting the security of all of Europe, he stressed.
Fighting continues in certain areas of Ukraine and several regions are inaccessible; humanitarian assistance is required by people living in inhuman conditions here, he stated.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister welcomed Hungary support with regard to his country’s European integration and the granting of visa-free travel and called for increased cooperation between Hungarian and Ukrainian enterprises.
Mr. Klimkin also stated that although some people have indeed had no choice but to leave their homeland recently, reports that large numbers of Ukrainians have crossed the border into Hungary are untrue.
In reply to a question, Mr. Szijjártó also mentioned that Hungary has purchased a property in Washington. As the Minister explained, it is a general requirement that countries should maintain a suitable representation all over the world. However, the current location of the Hungarian Embassy in Washington does not meet these requirements and this is why the decision was made, following a relatively long period of deliberation, to put an end to this untenable situation and purchase a building in the American capital that represents Hungary in suitable fashion, he said.
Hungarian news portal Index reported on Tuesday that the State of Hungary had purchased a large building of historic significance in Washington D.C. for 16.5 million US Dollars and that it was suspected that the Hungarian Embassy would be moving into the new premises.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)
