Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has said Budapest will continue to block meetings of the Ukraine-NATO commission unless Kyiv takes steps “to restore the rights of the Hungarian community.”
“Hungary is standing up in support of Ukraine’s territorial unity and independence but is monitoring Ukraine’s minority-affecting politics. Assuring the rights of minorities is part of security and stability. Hungary can only withdraw its veto [on the Ukraine-NATO commission’s session] in one case: if the Ukrainians take the required action in the interests of restoring to the Hungarian community living on its territory the rights to which they are due in accordance with bilateral agreements and international law. The ball is on Ukraine’s court”, Szijjártó said in a statement on Dec. 4.
At the same time, the diplomat said, “there is major pressure on us to give up this position.”
