PÉTER SZIJJÁRTÓ, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, said the world is living in an age of danger, not contemplating that decades after several treaties, it would be experiencing the phantom of a cold war, or of war returning to Europe.  On the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine, he noted that, as a neighbour to the latter, his county is living in the shadow of the war, “paying the price of a war which is not our war”.  The real question now is “what is the fastest way to peace?”, he said, adding that the later peace is reached, the more people will die, families displaced and destructions wrought.  It is time, therefore, to analyse what has worked and what has not; and if the global community is sincere, it will know that nothing has worked.  Because weapons delivery has only exacerbated the conflict, those nations thinking of adding more weapons should desist and decide responsibly.

Hungary is concerned about possible use of nuclear weapons, he confessed, urging that a solution must be looked for since, clearly, no battlefield solution exists.  He therefore expressed support for an immediate ceasefire and the start of peace talks, admitting that is “easy to say, but hard to implement”. Defining diplomacy as the “capacity to talk to those with whom you disagree” or do not agree at all, he rejected all efforts to restrict talks.  After all, that is why the United Nations was established.  It is therefore not responsible that the five big Powers are not ready to talk to each other, posing a serious security risk to the world and a possible fragmentation into blocs again.  A civilized East-West cooperation will bring great solutions, he stated, and so Hungary argues for connectivity.

Recalling Europe’s political leaders’ talk of European cooperation, he noted that global politics must fundamentally change and return to the basis of mutual respect with dialogue and diplomacy returning as the major tools.  “The friends of peace are in majority in this chamber,” he observed.  As such, Hungry is ready to support peace processes and discuss peace plans.  Recounting examples of the Russian Federation’s ensuing economic partnerships with different countries, he called out economic sanctions as useless. Because the war in Ukraine is not the only security risk in the region — migration is, as well — Hungary will continue to prevent illegal migration through its borders, hence salvaging Europe’s security challenges, he said.