Hungary FM: Steps Taken Bolster Mutual Trust Between Hungary and Ukraine

In recent weeks, we have taken further steps to restore mutual trust in relations between Hungary and Ukraine, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said on his Facebook page from Brussels on Wednesday. The minister attended a meeting of NATO member foreign ministers in the Belgian capital and held bilateral talks with his Ukrainian and Canadian counterparts in the afternoon.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: MTI/Tamas Kovacs)

In his post following the meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba, Szijjarto pointed out that there has been some progress in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations, such as the amendment of the border traffic agreement, which will contribute to eliminating the undignified situation on the border between the two countries.

We are looking forward with hope to tomorrow's meeting of the Hungarian-Ukrainian working group on education, as the most important task now is to restore the rights of the Transcarpathian Hungarian community to education and the use of their mother tongue,

Minister Szijjarto wrote. 

Hungary's FM stressed that the government-supported infrastructure development on the Hungarian-Ukrainian border will allow for the transshipment of one million containers and three million tonnes of wheat and cooking oil per year at Fenyeslitke, which greatly facilitates Ukraine in maintaining trade with Europe. 

In another Facebook post on Wednesday, the minister also reported on his meeting with the Canadian foreign minister.

Melanie Joly is the seventh Canadian foreign minister with whom I have served, and we are now aiming to reinvigorate cooperation between the two countries, in the context of Hungary's rotating EU presidency this year and Canada's rotating G7 presidency next year.

He added that "our defense cooperation is an important pillar of Hungary's national security, as in recent years Hungarian fighter pilots have also received training in Canada, and the procurement of our air defense radar system is partly sourced by Canada". Szijjarto stressed that "both countries belong to the pro-nuclear camp" with both having an over 10 percent nuclear energy share in their energy mix, and have now agreed to exploit the potential of research and development cooperation.

Also good news is that Hungarian exports to Canada have reached a record high of more than $450 million, mainly due to exports of food products,

the minister pointed out.

Cover photo: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: MTI/Tamas Kovacs)