Ukraine's FM: PM Orban and FM Szijjarto Are Pro-Hungarian, Not Pro-Russian

Following a meeting with his Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto, Ukraine's foreign minister says he feels that a dialogue has commenced on several issues.

Ungvár, 2024. január 29. Dmitro Kuleba ukrán külügyminiszter a Szijjártó Péter külgazdasági és külügyminiszterrel, a megbeszélésük után tartott közös sajtótájékoztatón Ungváron 2024. január 29-én. MTI/Nemes János Fotó: Nemes János

On Monday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba, engaging in a nearly six-hour discussion on a number of wide-ranging issues.

In an interview with Telex, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba emphasized that 

neither PM Viktor Orbán, nor FM Peter Szijjarto are pro-Russian, they are pro-Hungarian, as is demonstrated by the Hungarian foreign minister's respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The politician underscored that he and FM Szijjarto had an open and frank discussion, managing to dispel many doubts during their meeting. He added that although they both believe that Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty are important, they disagree on how to achieve it. According to Ukraine's foreign minister, Russia can only be stopped and forced to take a seat at the negotiating table on the battlefield.

Every country has its own internal political situation and each country makes different statements, but we cannot allow them to disrupt our bilateral relations,

– he said.

Mr Kuleba underlined that that they had been informed of a death threat addressed to FM Peter Szijjarto, and that - speaking in Hungary - Laszlo Toroczkai had hinted that if Ukraine were to lose its statehood as a result of the war, Hungary would lay claim to Transcarpathia. 

The Ukrainian politician expressed confidence that Hungary would support Ukraine's EU accession in the future. He said he believes that Hungary is not blocking Ukraine's approach to achieve NATO membership, either.

At the joint press conference, FM Szijjarto described the restoration of good neighborly relations as a common interest, adding that the situation of national minorities was the topic most discussed during Monday's talks. Ukraine's foreign minister emphasized during his interview that the disputes in Ukraine regarding this issue began in 2015, and they can be linked to Russia's 2014 attack. However, he added that

the two countries are now on the road to settling these disputes.

Cover photo: Ukrainian FM Dmitro Kuleba and Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto attend a joint press briefing following their meeting in Uzhhorod on January 29, 2024 (Photo: MTI/Janos Nemes)