The foreign minister said Hungary and Serbia are directly and severely affected by the war in Ukraine and illegal migration, and they both have an interest in the armed conflict ending as soon as possible.
After meeting his Serbian counterpart, Ivica Dačić, Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said few other countries in Europe are affected by the two simultaneous security challenges to such an extent. “The prolongation of the war and its possible escalation pose severe risks for both countries,” he said. “We understand that it does not appear such a severe issue from hundreds or thousands of kilometres away, but those that cause an extension or escalation of the war act against our national interests,” Minister Szijjártó added. He said both countries profited greatly from bilateral cooperation, as demonstrated by the record-high 75% increase in Hungary-Serbia trade last year. “The pledge to Hungary’s energy security” currently lies with Serbia, he said, with the TurkStream the only east-west gas pipeline on the continent which operates at 100% capacity, he said. Last year, 4.8 billion cubic metres of natural gas came to Hungary from Serbia and some 438 million cubic metres flowed in the other direction, he added. Dačić also held talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.