Peter Szijjarto announced that on Wednesday the Hungarian government will propose in Brussels that the Ukrainian leaders responsible for the death of Hungarian citizen Jozsef Sebestyen be included on the EU’s human rights sanctions list. The minister also provided the details.
Previously, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on social media that the government would not let this go unanswered, calling for sanctions against those responsible.
Forced conscription. Jozsef Sebestyen was beaten to death during forced conscription in Transcarpathia,
the prime minister emphasized.
Peter Szijjarto began the press briefing by mentioning Tibor Kapu’s space mission, highlighting his achievements.
“After 45 years, Hungary has successfully completed its second scientific research space mission, at least the phase which involved the Hungarian astronaut's presence at the International Space Station,” he said.
We are proud that Hungary has joined the ranks of countries capable of advancing in global space technology, research and industry by placing a research astronaut mission at the pinnacle of its space program. This mission allowed us to carry out scientific work and experiments that can only be conducted on the ISS, providing significant opportunities for the Hungarian economy to grow and advance further,
Szijjarto emphasized.
He added that it was an honor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to be tasked with executing the space mission seven years ago, and they successfully fulfilled this complex and often challenging task. It was also an honor to work with all the candidates who had the courage and readiness to undertake this important mission as Hungary’s second research astronaut.
He highlighted:
We express our thanks to Tibor Kapu for completing the training and accepting this mission on behalf of 15 million Hungarians. It was an honor for all of us at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to coordinate Hungary’s second space mission.
The minister expressed hope that the entire Hungarian nation would feel proud that Hungary can now say it has completed two successful space missions within half a century.
Regarding the Brussels meeting, he stated that the first agenda item dealt with Ukraine.
In short, I can tell you that here in Brussels, an increasingly harsh wartime atmosphere prevails. European politicians increasingly want to drag the European Union even deeper into the war and make European people pay for it,
the minister emphasized.
“It is clear that Brussels aims to send even more weapons and money to Ukraine. Ukrainian demands are growing, seeking more money and more weapons, and it is clear that Brussels wants to meet these demands. They look at this issue solely from the Ukrainian perspective, refusing to examine the consequences of these decisions from a European or national point of view. These decisions are about sending even more of European people’s money to Brussels and providing Ukraine with even more weapons,” he stated.
The question of who will pay the price for all this was raised clearly, and it is evident that, apart from us, no one here is concerned about forcing European people to pay for the rising cost of arms supplies. We also heard self-flagellation from my ministerial colleagues, claiming we are doing too little and too slowly. Given the hundreds of billions of euros already sent to Ukraine in weapons and money, this seems somewhat hypocritical, or rather self-deceptive,
he remarked. The foreign minister added:
“However, today, it was stated by a representative of one of Europe’s largest and strongest countries that the 17 sanctions packages implemented to date have been ineffective and less efficient than had been expected. We agree with this. The only difference is in the conclusions drawn:
We believe that if 17 sanctions packages have proven ineffective, we should probably not continue this path. However, the overwhelming majority here wants to adopt new sanctions packages. At least today, no new package was adopted, but there is still enormous pressure on us. Most speakers today pressured me to ensure that Hungary will finally allow the EU negotiations with Ukraine to enter a substantive phase and for Ukraine to become an EU member at an accelerated pace. I made it clear that Hungary will not yield on this matter, as we are bound by the clearly expressed will of over 2 million Hungarians who do not want to belong to the same integration as Ukraine.
The minister underlined that offensive statements were again made about the Hungarian national community, including the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, with some stating that the effective protection of national minorities could only happen once within the EU. Several others stated that the fate of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia should be considered a bilateral Hungarian-Ukrainian matter, unrelated to Ukraine’s EU membership.
I firmly rejected all this. The ongoing deprivation of the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia is not a bilateral issue but a fundamentally critical European matter. The EU’s values and treaties clearly state that the rights of national communities must be respected. I do not believe that if a country systematically violates the rights of a national community for ten years, it should be rewarded with the start of EU accession negotiations,
the minister declared.
Peter Szijjarto also emphasized: “Moreover, the situation is that the European Commission has also proposed extending accession negotiations to the next chapters with three other countries alongside Ukraine. These negotiations have not started with Moldova, North Macedonia, and Serbia due to the lack of consensus in the Council, even though Hungary supports these countries’ accession. For Serbia, the Commission has been advocating the opening of new negotiation chapters for almost four years, but several EU member states reject this without facing the same kind of pressure Hungary is, or having their EU commitment questioned.”
“We can prevent Ukraine’s EU accession. I made this clear again today. The pressure was immense, but it could not override the will of 2 million Hungarians,” he said.
One week ago, on July 8, Michael O'Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, submitted a report referencing:
The Commissioner cites the Ukrainian Parliament’s human rights commissioner’s recent statement that human rights violations by Ukrainian recruiters and soldiers have become systematic and widespread.
According to the Ukrainian human rights commissioner's statement, these violent acts include physical violence, beatings, brutal treatment, arbitrary arrests and the conscription of disabled persons, along with other unacceptable actions.
The European high commissioner has received similar reports from Ukraine concerning deaths during torture and conscription. Let me show you once more what this is. This is the Council of Europe’s report on the human rights situation in Ukraine,
he noted.
The report includes findings that deaths, torture, beatings, and brutal treatment occur during conscription in Ukraine, based on statements by the Ukrainian Parliament’s human rights commissioner.
According to Peter Szijjarto: That manhunts are taking place on the streets of Ukraine under the pretext of forced conscription is a fact.
That Ukrainian recruiters treat people brutally during forced conscription is a fact. That people are dying in Ukraine due to recruiter brutality because they do not want to go to the front or fight is also a fact,
he said. The foreign minister added:
Unfortunately, a Hungarian man became a victim of this brutal Ukrainian manhunt last week. We find this unacceptable and shocking, and we likewise find the indifference and apathy of European politicians towards this issue unacceptable and shocking. Where are the NGOs? Where are the Soros organizations? Where are the so-called independent journalists? Where are the human rights organizations now? Why don't they speak up against the unacceptable manhunt happening on Ukraine’s streets?
Peter Szijjarto emphasized that in light of a Hungarian becoming a fatal victim of this brutal Ukrainian action,
Tomorrow we will officially propose that all Ukrainian military leaders and officials responsible for this Hungarian man’s death be placed on the EU’s sanctions list.
He stated that the EU has a global human rights sanctions regime created to allow the European Union to place those committing systematic human rights violations, such as torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, arbitrary detentions or imprisonment, onto the sanctions list.
Our concrete proposal will be ready tomorrow and will be submitted here in Brussels. Today, I announced at the Foreign Affairs Council that Hungary is initiating the placement of the Ukrainian military officers responsible for beating a Hungarian man to death onto the EU sanctions list. This is the minimum the EU must do in this matter,
he underlined.
In response to a journalist’s question about the 18th sanctions package, the foreign minister said that they have been discussing this package for a very long time in the European Council. He stated:
“I can tell you that the 18th sanctions package in its current form does not harm fundamental Hungarian interests. This is because, during the weeks of negotiations, we fought hard to remove every sanction measure from the package that would have caused damage to Hungarian national interests. Hungary has removed every element that could have hurt its interests, whether economically, commercially, or especially regarding energy supply and security.”
Regarding Slovakia’s situation, he said they had not yet received the guarantees they deemed sufficient concerning the European Commission’s proposal for a forced cut-off from Russian energy sources. He emphasized:
The fact is that a forced disconnection from Russian energy sources would severely violate not only Slovakia’s but also Hungary’s national interests. We continue to negotiate. We have indicated that we cannot accept a ban on the execution of long-term gas purchase contracts, an oil transport ban, or a gas purchase ban, as these would mean Hungarian families’ utility costs would rise to 2-4 times what they are currently paying.
Peter Szijjarto stated: “The fact is that the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union clearly states that energy policy falls within national competence. This aggressive proposal from the Commission is a blatant violation of national sovereignty because it would essentially transfer competence over energy policy from the national level to Brussels.”
The minister pointed out that this would leave Hungary with only one of its two existing pipelines and deprive the country of 26 billion cubic meters of natural gas import capacity. He noted that
they claim this would make us more competitive, but the reality is that it would increase energy prices in Hungary by two to four times. They say it would help with energy security, but in reality, it would do the opposite, it would make us vulnerable. So this is a complete black zone, which is unacceptable. It flouts European rules, grossly violates national sovereignty, and disregards the fundamental national security interests of two countries. Energy supply security is a national security issue. That’s why we support Slovakia in moving forward with the Commission on these issues.
Peter Szijjarto emphasized that "as long as we are in power in Budapest, the Hungarian people can be certain that Hungarian money, the weapons of the Hungarian army, Hungarian soldiers will not go to Ukraine. So, just as we have not participated in the financing of arms deliveries to Ukraine within the framework of NATO or the European Union, we will not do so in the future either."
No one will spend Hungarian people's money on weapons to be sent to Ukraine,
he said.
As for the report in question, it does indeed state that it is necessary to make it clear to Ukraine’s aggressive recruiters that there is zero tolerance for torture, he added.
Peter Szijjarto said it is widely known that the European Parliament is dominated by pro-war and pro-Ukraine politicians, including the MEPs of the Hungarian opposition. "So basically, anyone not part of the Patriots or right-wing parties belongs to the pro-war, pro-Ukraine majority."
And this pro-war, pro-Ukraine majority wants nothing more than to drag the European Union into the war. We all know that if the EU admits a country currently at war, it would pull the entire EU into the war. That is why the European Parliament’s pro-war, pro-Ukraine majority is pushing for Ukraine’s EU membership. This isn’t the firt time that the Hungarian national community has been humiliated and disregarded. Claiming that the Ukrainians are taking minority rights seriously and have begun restoring them to the Hungarians in Transcarpathia is a lie, it is utter nonsense. It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to find a polite or civilized word to describe this,
he emphasized. "However, we, Hungary's national government, will protect the Hungarian national community in Transcarpathia, just as we have taken countless steps over the past ten years to stand up for the Hungarians living there,” he stressed.
In response to a journalist’s question about President Donald Trump threatening Russia with hundred percent tariffs if peace is not achieved within 50 days, Peter Szijjarto replied: "No one has done more for peace in Ukraine than the American president, and for that, he deserves respect and recognition."
The Hungarian government hopes Trump’s efforts will yield results in the coming weeks and create a path to a ceasefire and peace negotiations. If that happens, the issue of tariff threats would be off the table in fifty days.
In closing, the minister indicated he had to return to the meeting, where — together with the Slovak delegation — they would be speaking in defense of Georgia.
Cover photo: Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Photo: MTI/ Tamas Olah)
