Hungary FM: If Tisza Wins, Brussels’ and Kyiv’s Agenda Would Prevail in Budapest

Despite mounting pressure, the government will steadfastly refuse to allow Hungarian taxpayers’ money to be sent to Ukraine in any form or amount, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday in Brussels, according to a statement from his ministry.

I do not really expect that we can count on a broader group than before when it comes to opposing these senseless financial proposals. The last time, in the case of another Ukrainian war aid, the Czechs, the Slovaks, and the Hungarians stayed out of the financing. We made it clear that we would not allow our citizens’ money to be taken there, and I do not expect a wider circle this time either,

he said.

He added that 

war fanaticism has reached such a level—and the European Union is so determined to continue and even escalate the war—that they are unwilling to forgo sparing a single euro, let alone billions. By now, the vast majority of member states, and Brussels itself—the European Commission included—treat it as something entirely natural to hand over European taxpayers’ money to Ukraine,

 he said.

Szijjarto stressed that while heavy pressure will once again be applied, everyone can be certain that Hungary will resist and will not allow Hungarian taxpayers’ money to be sent to Ukraine in any form or amount.

The foreign minister also said it is clear that Ukraine’s leadership, with the backing of Brussels, has decided to interfere harshly and openly in Hungary’s elections in order to secure a victory for the Tisza Party.

If the Tisza Party wins, then decisions in Budapest would unfold according to the will of Brussels and Kyiv. We will not allow that. We have made it clear to the Ukrainians that we are prepared for attempts at interference, and they should be prepared for the fact that we will stop these attempts,

he stressed.

We do not accept that anyone should take away or even restrict Hungary’s sovereignty. A critical element of that sovereignty is that only the Hungarian people can decide Hungary’s future. This must be respected by everyone.

In closing, Szijjártó welcomed last weekend’s U.S.–Russia–Ukraine trilateral meeting and expressed hope that talks would soon reach the point where U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet in Budapest and reach an agreement on ending the war.

Cover photo: Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Source: Facebook)