Szijjarto: Brussels position on Ukraine war ‘not shared by most countries’

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session now underway, Szijjarto said the whole world was suffering from ramifications of the war, such as soaring energy and food prices that were causing serious problems in Africa and South America. “My colleagues from Ghana and Cuba talked about all those today, here in New York,” he said.

Szijjarto welcomed that Ghana was increasingly using Hungarian water purification technologies, and that he had signed an agreement with Cuba concerning scholarships and courses for diplomats.

Europe suffers from the sanctions introduced as a result of the Ukraine war more than Russia itself, so it would be best to dismiss the eighth package of sactions because they will only further deepen the problems, Szijjarto told the United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA). The foreign ministry cited Szijjarto as saying after an informal meeting of the foreign affairs council that the punitive measures introduced so far “have beyond doubt hurt Europe much more than Russia” because they have resulted in soaring inflation and utility costs on the continent.

He said the “vast majority” of the world outside of Europe already realised that the effects of the sanctions were more severe than the effects of the war, because the challenges that the world currently faces result from the sanctions and not directly from the war.

“Whether we like it or not in Europe, this opinion has already developed in the vast majority of the world outside Europe.” he added.

“The European Union should stop talking about an eighth package of sanctions and stop calling for measures that could further exacerbate the energy supply difficulties,” Szijjarto said.

“It clearly shows that even talking about the possibility of further sanctions pushes up prices,” he said.

The winter is approaching, when supply challenges will only worsen, he said and added that “it would be important to stop mentioning measures that further deepen the crisis”.

Szijjarto said it was a “waste of time” not to use the UNGA to achieve peace.

He also said it was important to support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s efforts in connection with the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in order to guarantee the security of reactors, which requires all war activities to stop in the region as soon as possible.