Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock “misunderstands” Hungary’s stance on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
Responding to Baerbock’s statements in Ljubljana, Minister Szijjártó said Hungary’s stance had been carefully considered and well-founded, “without intentions to blackmail, let alone to play games”. “The Hungarian people, parliament and government still fail to see any advantages to starting premature accession talks with Ukraine.” As the country is “very far from” being ready for such talks, a strategic partnership would be much more adequate, he said. Szijjártó warned Baerbock that Hungary would not change its stance on the matter “no matter the pressure”, and called for the proposal on starting accession talks with Ukraine to be taken off the agenda of next week’s meetings in Brussels, “to preserve European unity”.