Szijjarto: Hungary committed to ensuring energy security

“Hungary will not allow anyone to make the Hungarian people pay the price of the war”, Szijjarto told the Hungarian media.

The Hungarian government does not object to other countries sending arms to Ukraine, but it will not send weapons itself, neither will it allow shipments by other countries to cross Hungary directly into Ukraine, Szijjarto said. “This would seriously endanger the security of Hungary and its people”, he said.

Regarding the payment of energy supplies in roubles, he referred to “a solution” which did not involve Hungary breaching any EU sanctions. The contracts of the relevant companies on both sides were being amended accordingly, he said, adding that the contracts were a bilateral matter and Hungary did not see the need for the European Union to establish any joint action or coordinated position on the issue.

On the subject of arms deliveries, the minister noted that many EU member states “want to comply” with Ukraine’s request for further lethal aid. The European Peace Facility is about to be raised by 500 million euros, he noted, adding that Hungary had not stood in the way of that decision, and would not stop other countries from delivering weapons to Ukraine. Hungary, he added, would not do so itself or allow deliveries through Hungary.

Szijjarto welcomed Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s visit to Moscow on Monday, saying that all personal meetings raised hope of a diplomatic resolution.

Commenting on Slovak House Speaker Boris Kollar’s accusation that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin were planning to “divvy up” Slovakia, Szijjarto said Hungary and Slovakia, two EU member states, were working on strengthening both bilateral ties and the European Union. Hungary is committed to preserving achievements already made while improving bilateral ties further, he said.