Hungary FM Hits Back At Critics of Hungary's Democracy +Video

The foreign minister expressed pride in the state of democracy in Hungary.

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto at the joint press conference with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Copenhagen, April 15, 2024. (Photo: MTI/EPA/Ritzau/Ide Marie Odgaard)

On the battlefield situation in Ukraine and the EU's relevant policy, FM Szijjarto noted Hungary's direct, severe exposure to the war's fallout as a neighboring country, and called for bringing the armed conflict to an end as soon as possible. It is clear that neither side could win the war, he opined, pointing out that the European politicians who expected Ukraine to win were wrong, and Russia could not prevail either. Therefore a diplomatic resolution is needed, the question is when the peace negotiations can begin. "And the longer it takes, the more people will die, the more destruction there will be," he warned. "We hope for peace as soon as possible, a ceasefire as soon as possible, peace negotiations as soon as possible," he added.

Lastly, he reiterated that Hungary cannot support outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the post of NATO secretary general, as he had previously spoken of "bringing our country to its knees".

Cover photo: Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto at the joint press conference with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Copenhagen, April 15,  2024. (Photo: MTI/EPA/Ritzau/Ide Marie Odgaard)