Two Hungarian POWs Return Home + Video

During the night, two ethnic Hungarian prisoners of war from Transcarpathia returned home from Russian captivity after being sent to the front through forced conscription by the Ukrainian TRC. The prisoners arrived back on Hungarian soil together with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto. Their relatives were waiting for them at the airport.

The Transcarpathian prisoners of war arriving on Hungarian soil (Photo: Istvan Mirko)

As reported earlier, Peter Szijjarto held talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after Russia's leader had also consulted with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban regarding the release of prisoners of war of Hungarian nationality holding Hungarian citizenship. Following the talks in Moscow, Hungary's Foreign Minister announced that after a phone conversation with Hungary's Prime Minister, President Vladimir Putin decided that the two prisoners of war listed in the records—both ethnic Hungarians and Hungarian citizens—could return home.

The two Hungarian prisoners of war return home (Photo: Istvan Mirko)

Speaking at a press conference held at the airport, Peter Szijjarto emphasized: “For four years now, a completely senseless war has been taking place in Ukraine, a war that should never have broken out in the first place. But even after it began, the senseless killing should certainly have come to an end two months later during the peace negotiations in Istanbul.”

Peter Szijjarto pointed out:

The reality is that every single day in the war brings more deaths and more suffering, and it is obviously heartbreaking to see the human suffering that this war causes.

He added:

We Hungarians must stand up for peace with all our strength, and our most important task is to never allow Hungary to be dragged into this war taking place in our neighborhood,

Minister underlined:

Hungary must stay out of the conflict and must protect every Hungarian from the consequences of the war and from the war itself.

Peter Szijjarto also stated that the situation surrounding conscription in Ukraine is unacceptable.

It is unacceptable that open manhunts are taking place on the streets of Ukraine, and it is scandalous that there is no accountability and no consequences for forceful conscription in Europe in the 21st century.

He emphasized that Hungary’s government will continue to stand up for its citizens.

"As long as there is a sovereign national government here in Hungary, we will stand up for every Hungarian whom they want to make a victim of this war against their will."

The minister also noted that many ethnic Hungarians have been taken to the war.

On the way home, we we discussed that many Hungarians were taken into the war. Many have died, many have disappeared, and some were taken prisoner. Now the two of them have been able to return home and they are safe. (…) They no longer have to return to the war. Almost exactly 24 hours ago we set off from this very place, and we set off with the aim of coming home with more people than those who left. As you can see, we succeeded, thank God.

Cover photo: The Transcarpathian prisoners of war arriving on Hungarian soil (Photo: Istvan Mirko)