Leaders of the International Red Cross understand Hungary’s policy on the war in Ukraine and the importance of its decision to reject the transport of weapons, Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said in Geneva after talks with Peter Maurer, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). At the meeting, Minister Szijjártó said Hungary’s government had a duty to guarantee the safety of Hungary and Hungarians and aid those fleeing the war, the foreign ministry said in a statement. So far, 772,000 people have arrived in Hungary from Ukraine, he added.
By rejecting direct transport of lethal aid to Ukraine from Hungary, the government is ensuring the security of those living on either side of the border while also facilitating the Red Cross’s work in Ukraine from the organisation’s logistics base in Debrecen, in eastern Hungary, and its regional centre in Budapest, he said. “The Hungary-Ukraine border is considered a safe one, and so humanitarian aid runs no risk of attacks,” he said, adding that Maurer and Chapagain thanked Hungary for its efforts. “They understand how important it is that Hungary accepts every single refugee … we provide for them, treat them with respect, and try to help in all aspects of life. We will continue to do so until the end of the war,” he said.
Photo credit: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter