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Media: Hungarian FM says ending Russia-Ukraine war in Hungary’s fundamental interest

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Media: Hungarian FM says ending Russia-Ukraine war in Hungary’s fundamental interest
Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto attends the 10th Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States on Nov. 3, 2023. (Arda Kucukkaya/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ending the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible and initiating peace talks is in Hungary's fundamental interest because the war "brings the nightmare of a third world war closer" each day, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told public radio on March 24, according to the Budapest Times.

Hungary, however, will continue to reject participation in any political or financial initiatives aimed at supplying additional weapons to Ukraine, Szijjarto told the broadcaster, adding that those would pose a risk of escalation of the war.

Szijjarto added that a proposal by the European Council’s president “to shift to a war economy” was “posing an exceptional risk in itself,” the Budapest Times reported. On March 18, European Council President Charles Michel said if Europe wants to exist in peace, it must shift to a “war economy” mode and significantly bolster defense capabilities in the face of the threat posed by Russia.

Earlier this month, Szijjarto said that country's Prime Minister Viktor Orban planed to discuss how to "achieve peace" in Ukraine during an upcoming visit with former U.S. President Donald Trump.  

"We definitely want to discuss with (Trump) how to restore peace in Ukraine and the eastern part of Europe," Szijjarto said, adding that the war in Ukraine "will inevitably end by negotiations," as "Kyiv can't defeat Russia," and "Russia can't defeat the entire West."

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine confirms striking 2 large Russian landing ships; Russia launches major attack on energy system
Key developments on March 24: * Ukraine confirms striking 2 large Russian landing ships in occupied Crimea * Russia launches major attack across Ukraine targeting critical infrastructure * ISW: Russia makes limited advances along eastern front * Ministry: Situation at Zaporizhzhia’s Dnipro Dam…
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Olena Goncharova

Head of North America desk

Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.

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