“Hungary has an interest in restoring its good neighbourly relations with Ukraine, because the situation that has developed is not good for either country, or for the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared on Wednesday in Ungvár (Uzhhorod) at a joint press conference with Ukraine’s chief diplomat Dmytro Kuleba.

Mr. Szijjártó announced that as a gesture of good will he had brought with him fifty respirators from Hungary for use in hospitals in Transcarpathia. He also indicated to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister that on its part, Hungary is ready to partially finance the refurbishment of Uzhhorod Hospital, the renovation of the Tisza bridge, the construction of the Uzhhorod bypass and the road that would connect it to the border, as well as to construct the extension of Hungary’s M3 motorway to the Ukrainian border.

“Over a period of six years we have provided 90 billion forints (EUR 248 million) in funding towards Ukrainian development projects, we are taking a stand in support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, we are continuing shipments of natural gas towards Ukraine and affording Ukrainian citizens transit through Hungary towards Western Europe, in addition to which Hungary has one of the largest contingents in the OSCE mission in Eastern Europe, and this will remain the case in future”, the Hungarian Foreign Minister highlighted.

Mr. Szijjártó added that his Ukrainian counterpart’s approach, according to which Transcarpathia must be made into a joint Ukrainian-Hungarian success story, was most welcome. “This must obviously also include the fact that Hungarians living in Transcarpathia must enjoy all of the rights that are due to minorities, and which they are afforded by European regulations” he pointed out. The Minister expressed his hope that dialogue on guaranteeing the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia will be successful.
In reply to a question from the press, Dmytro Kuleba said there is a “realistic chance” that the concept of dual citizenship will also become accepted in Ukraine. However, he pointed out that in Ukraine this is a “much broader issue” that doesn’t only involve the Hungarian minority.

Also in reply to a question from reporters, Mr. Szijjártó said Hungary would be happy to lift its veto concerning Ukraine’s contacts with NATO, explaining that there is only one prerequisite to this: that Transcarpathian Hungarians indicate to Budapest that the language use and education issues that are important to them have been resolved.

In reply to a question concerning a meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr. Szijjártó said: “At the meeting,  the two countries would like to successfully negotiate a comprehensive good neighbour agreement, which the soon-to-be-meeting joint committees are drawing up”. He added that as soon as the three joint committees, the minority, cross-border cooperation and infrastructure committees, successfully complete this preparative task, all obstacles to such a meeting will have been removed.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade / MTI)