Diplomacy

The foreign minister said the development was "a great success" for Albania as well as for the Hungarian EU presidency.

The two countries reached a "strategic milestone" this year, when Hungary became the first non-neighbouring country to which Turkey exports natural gas.

The prime minister and Putin discussed ongoing tensions in the Middle East in connection with the recent developments in Syria.

"We proposed a Christmas ceasefire and a significant exchange of prisoners of war. Regrettably, Ukrainian President Zelensky point-blank rejected this (proposal) ... We have done what we were able to," PM Orbán said.

Minister Szijjártó also said that currently there was an opportunity for better than-ever political relations to develop between Hungary and the US.

"Hungary and Qatar share the same position concerning the vast majority of the world's gravest problems," the foreign minister said, noting that both countries were pro-peace.

Minister Szijjártó pledged the Hungarian government's support to Kellogg's work, adding that "we are ready for cooperation in every effort for peace."

The foreign minister said it is a welcome development that pro-peace politician Donald Trump has won the US presidential election, and chances are better than ever before for peace to return to central Europe.

"The Patriots' and Fidesz delegation's stance is clear: we and the European majority who voted for us in the European parliamentary elections want European politics to change," Gál said.

The foreign minister said economic growth depended on calm, stability and predictability, and this was possible only in peacetime.