Hungary and the Hungarian people have already paid a high price for the war in Ukraine, so the great powers should finally focus on peace-making instead of taking steps that risk prolonging and escalating the conflict, stated Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó at the open debate of the UN Security Council in New York.
At the session on peacemaking and peacekeeping, the head of the ministry thanked the Japanese presidency of the body for convening the meeting, saying that it was extremely timely and unique, as the international political discourse is still dominated by the rhetoric of war.
"The rhetoric of war is very loud, while the rhetoric of peace can hardly be heard," he said.
He pointed out that, as a neighbor of Ukraine, the negative effects of the armed conflict can be felt seriously and immediately in Hungary, which is why the government is extremely interested in peace.
More than one million refugees left Ukraine via Hungary, our country is carrying out the largest humanitarian action ever, the annual cost of energy imports has increased from around 7 billion euros to 17 billion euros, inflation is skyrocketing, he listed. In addition, he reminded her, in addition to Ukrainians, Transcarpathian Hungarians also fall victim to the fighting in large numbers.
Péter Szijjártó emphasized: Hungary has already paid a high price for this war, despite the fact that the Hungarian people never wanted war and are not responsible for it.
"The Hungarian people made it extremely clear in last year's parliamentary election that this is not our war, we do not want this war and we do not want to participate in any war against anyone," he underlined. He then touched on the tragic consequences of the war, emphasizing that thousands of people die, millions are forced to leave their homes, families are torn apart, and the sanctions are a huge challenge for the European economy.
"It may look a little different hundreds or thousands of kilometers away, an ocean away, but believe me, those of us who live in the neighborhood see the situation as very serious," he declared.
"Please accept this message from the immediate neighborhood, this war must end immediately, because we are in the 25th hour, we must focus on peace," he added.
In this regard, the minister called on the international community to replace the rhetoric of war with the rhetoric of peace, and for the great powers to avoid measures and even statements that risk prolonging and escalating the war. He stated: instead of increasing arms shipments, the focus should be on establishing a ceasefire and starting peace negotiations.
"The UN was not created as an integration of like-minded countries, it is a platform for discussion, even between countries that are reluctant to sit at the same table," he pointed out, emphasizing that by cutting off communication channels, the world would even give up hope for peace. .
(MTI)
Photo: Péter Szijjártó's Facebook page
