Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in an interwiew with public broadcaster Kossuth Radio the government will soon consult with the parliamentary parties again to decide whether there is a real chance of Hungary increasing its military engagement in the fight against the Islamic State.

On 14 February Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Péter Szijjártó already negotiated with the leaders of parliamentary parties regarding national foreign policy objectives. Topics of the discussion were continuing assistance provided to Ukraine, strengthening the U.S.-Hungarian alliance and further developing the pragmatic cooperation with Russia. Following the discussion, Péter Szijjártó stated that continuous consultations were necessary due to the geopolitical situation surrounding Hungary. The possibility of further increasing Hungary’s military engagement in ensuring Kurdistan’s military stability and in the fight against the Islamic State was also discussed, he added.

On Wednesday morning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Kossuth Radio that increasing military involvement in the fight against the Islamic State is an issue that requires broader cooperation and consultations.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)