Hungarian Foreign Minister justifies meetings with Russia’s Lavrov

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (Photo: REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo)

Among the conference attendees were Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh.

Szijjártó’s official visit to Minsk has stirred unease among NATO allies. The U.S. Embassy in Hungary convened a meeting with ambassadors and military attachés from NATO countries in Budapest to discuss Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “economic sovereignty” policy.

In his keynote address on Oct. 31, Szijjártó doubled down on this policy, even delivering his remarks in Russian to the audience.

During his 14-minute speech, Szijjártó refrained from mentioning Ukraine or addressing Russia’s ongoing war there. He only referenced “one of the most serious conflicts in Europe and Hungary since World War II” without specifying further.

He went on to emphasize the importance of “Eurasian cooperation” and the need for “unity in the Eurasian region.”

Afterward, Szijjártó met with Lavrov, later announcing that Hungary seeks to bolster “rational” economic cooperation with Russia in sectors “not under sanctions”—primarily energy.

Szijjártó also held talks with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov, followed by a press statement.

“We believe the world heads toward ruin when some people try to dictate who can talk to whom, who can meet whom,” Szijjártó said. “We have a sovereign right to negotiate with anyone.”

On Oct. 30, Politico reported that Hungarian officials declined an invitation to attend a NATO ambassadors and defense attachés meeting in Budapest.

The meeting’s agenda focused on Hungary’s growing ties with Russia and China, journalists noted.

At the same time, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó attended the Eurasian Security Conference in Belarus.

French Member of the European Parliament Nathalie Loiseau commented on Hungary’s actions, saying, “The Hungarian government never misses an opportunity to embarrass us.”

At the conference, Szijjártó delivered his remarks in Russian and referred to Russian and Syrian Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Bassam Sabbagh as “dear colleagues.”

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