The crisis in Ukraine is likely to speed up the implementation of plans by the European Union to establish energy security, Enikő Győri, Minister of State for EU Affairs, declared in London on Monday.

After meeting with Tom Scholar, chief advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron on European and global affairs, the Hungarian Minister of State said that they were in agreement that there is a need to establish an internal energy market for the EU and link the various energy systems. These plans were initially made during Hungary's EU Presidency in 2011, and the British government agrees that their execution needs to be accelerated now, Ms Győri claimed.

As regards the crisis in Ukraine, both parties agreed that the European Union and the United States must act in concert in case the crisis escalated further. The British side acknowledged Hungary’s concern for minority rights and that they should be legally protected in Ukraine, the Hungarian Minister of State added.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)