Diplomacy

The Russia-Ukraine war must be brought to an end as soon as possible, Hungarian President Katalin Novak said in Sofia on Thursday, adding that peace was the most important aim.

President Katalin Novak met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Wednesday, to discuss illegal migration, the disbursement of European Union funding and issues concerning the Western Balkans, the president's office said.

Restoring pragmatic cooperation between East and West is a national security interest for Hungary because whenever there was a conflict between the two blocks, central Europe has always suffered from it, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday.

Hungary and Azerbaijan have raised cooperation to the level of a "priority strategic partnership", Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said, after talks with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev in Budapest on Monday.

Hungary and Austria are "good neighbours" and maintain strong cooperation in defence and other areas, Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said on Monday, after talks with his Austrian counterpart in Budapest.

Slovakia is one of Hungary's closest allies, and the two countries are dedicated to maintaining close and regular dialogue, Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Hungary's defence minister, said after meeting his counterpart, Jaroslav Nad, in Budapest.

Strong Hungary-Kazakhstan ties benefit both countries economically while boosting Hungary's energy security, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said at a meeting of the Hungarian-Kazakh Business Council, the ministry said on Thursday.

Hungary and the Vatican State share the same views on peace in Ukraine, the protection of families and the support of Christians, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in Vatican City on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met Zeljka Cvijanovic, the head of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Budapest on Tuesday, to discuss matters of international security and developing cooperation between the countries, the PM's press chief said.

Hungary and Serbia agree that peace in Ukraine is a priority, and that small and mid-size countries are especially vulnerable to the fallout of the war, Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said after meeting Milos Vucevic, his Serbian counterpart, in Belgrade on Friday.