Szijjártó critiques NATO for missing opportunity to avert Ukraine crisis

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó has asserted that the ongoing crisis in Ukraine could have been averted if NATO had engaged with Russia regarding its proposed security guarantee treaty in 2021.

He expressed this viewpoint during a conversation with a Russian state-run media source, Caliber.Az reports.

The diplomat underscored his belief in the importance of dialogue and discussion.

Szijjártó noted that nearly three years have passed since the onset of the conflict. “I wish these discussions had taken place. Had they occurred, we might not find ourselves in the current predicament,” he remarked.

Previously, Szijjártó criticized the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia, claiming they inflict more harm on European economies than on Russia's economy, leading Western nations to find ways to bypass them.

“Economic sanctions are entirely ineffective. It’s no surprise that we cannot identify a single successful sanctions mechanism in history. These sanctions are equally futile,” he stated.

Furthermore, the diplomat has advocated for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and the initiation of peace talks with Russia. He described the notion that major powers cannot communicate within the framework of the UN as “nonsense,” warning that it could lead to a new division of countries into opposing blocs.

By Tamilla Hasanova