© Péter Szijjártó/X.com The views of the parties diverged.
On Thursday, September 11, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. The talks took place in a tense atmosphere: the Ukrainian official called them “frank and constructive,” while the Hungarian diplomat placed the blame for the state of bilateral relations solely on Kyiv.
Kachka reported that the parties discussed the results of consultations on the rights of national minorities and reached solutions on all 11 points previously violated by Budapest. He also stressed the importance of energy cooperation and joint efforts to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian energy sources.
Szijjártó, in turn, stated that the Ukrainian authorities “systematically restrict the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia” and called on Kyiv to “return all rights to the minority.” He sharply criticized the strikes on the Druzhba oil pipeline, emphasizing that they “do not harm Russia, but undermine Hungary’s energy security.” Despite this, the minister emphasized that Budapest provides Ukraine with a significant portion of its electricity and gas imports.
Regarding the future of European integration, Kacszka stressed that political disputes should not block the negotiation process with the EU. At the same time, Szijjártó reiterated that Ukraine's membership contradicts Hungary's interests, and considers a strategic partnership to be a more realistic alternative. According to him, further relations between the two states will depend on Kyiv's decisions.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that Ukraine's accession to NATO “would lead to the start of World War III.”
