We Want Peace

[A question from László Mészáros (Hungarian Television): The European People's Party will be holding a session during the second half of this week. What position will you be representing at the meeting with regard to Ukraine, Mr. Prime Minister?]

It will also be interesting to see what happens at the meetings of the European People's Party due for Wednesday and Thursday in Dublin, but what I think is more important is that the Prime Ministers of the European Union's member states have been summoned for an extraordinary meeting on the subject of Ukraine. My job there will be to represent the Hungarian position. You are probably already aware of the Hungarian position, but it is perhaps best if I repeat it again here. The most important issue for us in this whole conflict is the safety of the Hungarians, including both the Hungarians living in Hungary and the Hungarians living in Transcarpathia. This is the perspective from which we view the events. And the reason we sent the Minister of Foreign Affairs to Transcarpathia is so that he can make it clear to the Hungarians living in Transcarpathia that they can count on us. The second Hungarian interest according to which we are shaping our actions regards Ukraine itself. Hungary's interest is for Ukraine to be a democratic state. We want a democratic Ukraine. A Ukraine in which the citizens of Ukraine, including citizens who belong to minorities such as the Hungarians, can feel safe and can feel at home. Accordingly, Hungary cannot accept the abolishment of the language law, we regard this as an illegitimate decision and we insist that the rights of Hungarians should not be impaired as a result of the changes in Ukraine.

As far as the solution to the situation goes, the Hungarian position is that a solution must be achieved through negotiation. There is an obvious situation: Ukraine is bordered from the east by Russia and from the west by the European Union. It follows that Russia and the European Union must negotiate with each other. Our view is that the only alternative to war is negotiation. We want negotiation and not armed conflict; we want peace and not blood. And this requires that the two parties, the European Union and Russia, begin negotiations. In addition, another standpoint I will be representing in Brussels is that the European Union must put forward an immediate reaction to the Russian military intervention. This reaction cannot be one of a military nature. The reaction must be determined, immediate, and must be of an integrative nature, and we will be putting forward our proposals on this in Brussels. I would also suggest, or rather ask and call on Hungarian politicians to refrain from making irresponsible comments and from irresponsible behaviour. This is a delicate situation and primarily requires self-control, discretion and that we make Hungarian interests our priority. It is in this spirit that I will be representing the Hungarian standpoint in Brussels.

(Prime Minister’s Office)