Ukraine’s new Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha arrived in Budapest on Sept. 30 to meet with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, according to a statement from the ministry. The two ministers began talks in a one-on-one format, and are expected to discuss various topics including the development of relations, joint projects, protection of national minorities, and Ukraine’s potential accession to the EU and NATO.
Budapest has consistently opposed Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO and the EU, as well as sanctions on Russia. They have also maintained close relations with Moscow throughout the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In June, Kyiv imposed sanctions on Lukoil, a major Russian oil company, which affected supplies to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline. This move was aimed at cutting off a source of income for the Kremlin, which is used to finance their war against Ukraine.
This is Sybiha’s first trip to Hungary as foreign minister, as part of his tour of neighboring countries. He has recently visited Romania and Slovakia. His predecessor, Dmytro Kuleba, and head of the Presidential Office Andrii Yermak, have also held meetings with Szijjarto. In early July, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Kyiv for the first time since the start of the conflict. During his talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Orban urged for a ceasefire as a step towards peace. However, Zelensky dismissed this suggestion, stating that it would only give Russia an opportunity to regroup their forces.
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