Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in New York on Wednesday.
Maintaining ties with Russia on the basis of mutual respect, and advancing cooperation in areas that are not affected by sanctions is in Hungary's interest, Minister Szijjártó said after the meeting.
He added that the Russian foreign minister always strived to accommodate the requests of the Hungarian government and was positive and open to resolving important matters affecting the sides.
Minister Szijjártó said another "milestone" had been reached in the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant with the start of full excavation. The first concrete at the site will be poured by year-end, which is necessary for the project's "under construction" designation according to National Atomic Energy Agency standards, he added.
Hungary is counting on cooperation with Russia to extend the lifespan of the existing four blocks at Paks, he said.
Minister Szijjártó acknowledged Russia's flexibility in the matter of ensuring Hungary's crude supply after measures by Ukraine threatened transit deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia.
Speaking about a visit by the Ukrainian foreign minister to Budapest in the coming week, Szijjártó said minority rights would be on the agenda, pointing to the deprivation of some rights of the Hungarian minority living there. He added that Hungary expected those rights to be restored.
He said the talks would also touch on economic cooperation, including cooperation on transportation and infrastructure developments.
Minister Szijjártó reiterated Hungary's pro-peace position and hope for a ceasefire, peace talks and the end of the war as soon as possible.