Hungary has reacted sharply to criticism by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who accused Budapest of being the only EU member state not to support a joint statement by European states ahead of the upcoming summit between Russia and the United States. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stressed that his country has been seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict since the beginning and that if Ukraine had taken the same approach, the war could have been ended long ago.
He wrote on the social network X that Hungary has been pushing for a ceasefire and peace talks for three and a half years. According to him, Ukraine would save hundreds of thousands of lives and millions of people would not have to leave their homes if it joined this path.
The minister was responding to Zelensky's criticism that Budapest had not supported a joint EU statement ahead of the summit to be held in Alaska on 15 August between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The document was signed by 26 member states and expressed support for the US president in his efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. It also included the EU's readiness to continue its sanctions policy against Russia and its support for Ukraine's membership of the EU. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán refused to join, particularly because of this last part.
According to the Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet Szijjártó, he considers unilateral declarations to be of little effect. Instead, he wants to promote concrete diplomatic steps, such as the upcoming US-Russian meeting. Index.hu reported that the minister also consulted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov at the summit in recent days, with the aim of promoting open peace talks.
On the other hand, according to ATV.hu, Zelensky insists that any solution must not mean the loss of Ukrainian territory and warns against any concessions that would strengthen Russia's position. The Világgazdaság server recalled that the Ukrainian president demands that any agreement be based on international law and the full restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
The Hungarian weekly Magyar Hang adds that Budapest presents its position not as pro-Russian but as pragmatic and based on a willingness to negotiate with both sides of the conflict. According to the Hungarian government, maintaining channels of communication is crucial, even if it means facing criticism from Brussels and other European capitals.
The Trump-Putin summit in Alaska is scheduled for 15 August and, according to some Hungarian commentators, could be a positive step towards de-escalating tensions. Whether Ukraine will also attend remains unclear. According to speculation in the Hungarian media, the US side has not ruled out the possibility of Zelensky's participation, but there has been no official confirmation.
X/gnews.cz - GH
English 
Czech 
Spanish 
French 
Italian 
Russian 
Chinese 
German