Government official: Hungary supports Ukrainian refugees, rejects war

Speaking after a meeting of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Tristan Azbej said the meeting had given an opportunity to discuss issues “simultaneously important for Hungarian interests and generally for peace and stability”.

Hungary had been the subject of “unfair attacks” over its solidarity to the Ukrainian people, he said.

“The truth is that Hungary has opened its borders to more than one million Ukrainian refugees in the past two years, providing medical care, food, accommodation and education.”

At the same time, Hungary will not support steps that would “support Ukraine in an uncontrolled and not transparent fashion,” he added.

He said Hungary also condemned the terrorist attacks of Hamas, supported Israel’s right to self-defence and called for the freeing of all hostages.

At the same time, Hungary is supporting the civilians in the conflict zone through the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, he said.

“We do not accept that the Brussels dialogue on human rights avoids the issue of religious freedom. We continue to stand by religious freedom in the EU, especially the freedom of persecuted Christians,” he said.