Hungary Still Ready to Host Peace Negotiations on Ukraine - Szijjarto
04:37 GMT 21.12.2024 (Updated: 05:57 GMT 21.12.2024)
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev
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UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – Hungarian top diplomat Peter Szijjarto gave extensive interview to Ria Novosti and commented on most acute issues of global politics.
Budapest stands ready to provide a venue for possible peace negotiations on Ukraine, Hungary Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told RIA Novosti.
"We are ready, so it was like two-three days after the war had broken out when I called Foreign Minister Lavrov and head of the presidential administration in Ukraine Andriy Yermak, and I told both of them that Hungary is ready to host any kind of peace negotiations," Szijjarto said.
He promised that his country would offer everyone a safe, fair level playing field.
"The offer has been on the table. So if somebody would like to take it, [they] can take it. So we are still ready, but you don't make this proposal on many occasions, you make it once, and since it's not withdrawn, it's still there," Szijjarto said.
US Political Revenge Against Hungary
The United States' decision not to exempt Russian-built Paks II nuclear power plant from sanctions on Gazprombank constitutes an act of "political revenge" against Hungary, Hungarian Foreign Minister said.
In November, the US imposed sanctions on Gazprombank and six of its foreign subsidiaries. On Wednesday, the US Treasury issued a general license authorizing transactions with Gazprombank related to civil nuclear energy through June 30, while excluding transactions related to Paks II.
"They were absolutely aware what kind of impacts they caused with such a decision in some central European and southeast European countries. It's so obvious, and the fact that deliberately, they have not given the waiver for Gazprom when it comes to Paks II, shows that they try to make a political revenge just because we have always represented a patriotic, sovereignistic political strategy," Szijjarto said.
The current US administration "cannot digest" that the Hungarian government serves national interests and therefore seeks to cut its energy cooperation with Russia, the minister said.
Szijjarto called US sanctions on Gazprombank a "concerning" and "clearly politically motivated decision" by the United States.
On Russian Chem Defense Chief Assasination
The terrorist attack that killed Russian chemical defense chief Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov causes concern and risks escalation, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told RIA Novosti.
"Since we want peace to come in Ukraine, since we want to avoid any risk of escalation, we look at all these issues as matters of concern. Why? Because all such kind of moves come forward with the risk of escalation," Szijjarto said.
Szijjarto warned that if escalation occurs before US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, it could have a "very negative impact" on a chance to "make peace as soon as possible" after that date.
Kirillov and his aide were killed in Moscow early on Tuesday by a bomb hidden in an electric scooter. An official with Ukraine's security service SBU confirmed to The New York Times that Ukraine was responsible for the assassination.
On Wednesday morning, Russia's Federal Security Service said it had arrested the perpetrator of the terrorist attack, Uzbek national Akhmad Kurbanov. Kurbanov said he had been recruited by Ukrainian security services who promised $100,000 and a resettlement in a EU country in exchange for the killing.
Chance for Peace in Ukraine After Trump Inauguration 'Bigger Than Ever'
US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in January could open a historic opportunity to achieve peace in Ukraine, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told RIA Novosti.
"From now on, as President Trump is taking office, I think a chance for a peace agreement will be bigger than ever. The question is whether the Democrat administration and the Western European pro-war politicians make something until the 20th of January which would make it very complicated or impossible to make a quick pro peace process," Szijjarto said in an interview.
The minister referred to decisions that have been made "on both sides of the ocean" after the November 5 election and carry a "huge risk of escalation," such as allowing Kiev to use long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia and pushing the Ukrainians to lower the draft age to 18.
