Hungary hopes for peace in Ukraine in two weeks, Minister Szijjártó says

Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, expressed optimism about the ongoing peace negotiations between Russia and the United States over Ukraine, stating that peace could return to Central Europe within the next two weeks.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue international conference in New Delhi, Szijjártó shared his hopes that the ongoing talks would lead to a swift ceasefire and the beginning of peace negotiations, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"We hope that in a couple of weeks we will be able to celebrate the return of peace to Central Europe," Szijjártó said, referring to the potential breakthrough in the Ukrainian conflict.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister also voiced strong support for the recent diplomatic meetings, including the talks held in Saudi Arabia between the US and Russia, and subsequent discussions between the US and Ukraine. He emphasized that these talks bring significant hope for a peaceful resolution. "We have high hopes for these meetings, expecting a quick agreement on a ceasefire and the start of peace negotiations," Szijjártó added.

However, Szijjártó warned against undermining the peace process by European leaders advocating for militarization. While he acknowledged the importance of modernizing Europe’s defence capabilities, he strongly opposed any attempts to disrupt the ongoing negotiations.

"If you ask me whether Europe should modernize its defense capabilities, my answer is obviously yes. But if you ask me whether Brussels and some European leaders should undermine peace negotiations, my answer is no," Szijjártó stated.

The Minister also addressed frustrations within the European liberal leadership, noting that many are upset because they are not directly involved in the peace talks.

"Many European liberal leaders are angry right now because they are not sitting at the negotiating table," he said. "Politicians have been invited to peace talks, and those who advocate for war have no place at this table."

The majority of the European Union countries and European institutions are determined to continue the conflict in Ukraine. 

On the margins of the conference, Szijjártó said, “I see that the majority of EU member states and European institutions, Brussels have made a clear commitment to continue the war." This will only lead to more casualties and destruction, he added.

“I don't know why Europe wants this, why European politicians want this. So I hope that as patriotic political forces gain strength in Europe, the pro-peace position will also gain strength. And I hope that President Trump's commitment to making these negotiations with Russia a success is stronger than the will of some Europeans to undermine this process,” the minister added.

For the record, the Raisina Dialogue is a multilateral conference held annually in New Delhi, India. Since its inception in 2016, the Raisina Dialogue has emerged as India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the international community.

By Khagan Isayev