Foreign minister warns UN Security Council of danger of ‘vicious cycle’

In his address, Szijjarto praised the United Arab Emirates for convening the session, its contribution to the “pro-peace majority”, and its support for keeping communication channels open.

The minister emphasised that though the war in Ukraine was a regional one, its effects were felt worldwide. He warned that the risk of escalation was growing with each passing day, adding that the longer the conflict went on, the more people would die.

Hungary is not only affected by the war because an escalation would reach Ukraine’s neighbouring countries first, but also because Hungarians are among those dying in the conflict, Szijjarto said.

“And we don’t want more people to die in this conflict,” the minister said. The international community should therefore focus on saving lives, he said, adding that the only solution was peace.

Hungary therefore urges an immediate ceasefire, as it would open the door to peace talks and offer hope for a peace treaty to be signed, he added.

Szijjarto said the war could not be resolved on the battlefield, emphasising that a settlement could only be reached through negotiation. That is why Hungary appreciates the efforts of those speaking out in favour of peace, he added.

He said the “rhetoric of war” was still “louder than the rhetoric of peace” even though the global majority was in favour of peace, adding that it was time for the “global pro-peace majority” to “speak up”.

Meanwhile, Szijjarto said that the world had already been living “in the age of threats and dangers” before the war. He added that climate change, growing migration pressure, the unprecedented threat of terrorism and the war formed a “terrible vicious cycle”.

The war has caused grain exports to plummet, destabilising regions that had already faced uncertainty, the minister said, warning that this could lead to a rise in extremist ideologies, causing more mass migration waves.

The war in Ukraine and migrant flows along the Western Balkan route mean that Hungary is under pressure from both the east and the south, he said, noting that Hungary had stopped around 270,000 people from crossing its border illegally last year.

Szijjarto also said that the risk of more natural disasters was rising with each passing day of the war, arguing that Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant was “operating under very risky circumstances”.

This situation, he said, was only made worse by “attacks” against nuclear power, adding that climate change could not be stopped and environmental protection goals could not be reached without nuclear energy.