Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto asserts that the US-Russia peace initiative contrasts with the EU’s alleged prolongation of the conflict.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto contends that the exclusion of the EU from the US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia is justified. In a Tuesday Facebook post, he argued that those seeking to prolong the Ukraine conflict have no place in peace initiatives.
The bilateral talks between Russia and the US in Riyadh mark the first direct attempt at restoring ties after nearly three years of strained relations. These talks are anticipated to lay the groundwork for negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
The EU has expressed strong disapproval, criticizing Washington’s lack of prior consultation and the exclusion of the EU from the negotiations.
“We, peace-loving Hungarians, have been waiting for this for three years!” Szijjarto, a long-standing critic of the West’s approach to the Ukraine conflict and an advocate for peace, wrote on Facebook.
“Pro-war Europeans are complaining about not being invited… but why should they be? The talks are about peace, there’s no room for warmongers!” he added. Speaking to reporters before the Saudi Arabia talks, Szijjarto expressed optimism for a swift resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Numerous EU officials have voiced criticism of Washington’s unilateral peace efforts following President Trump’s phone call with President Putin, after which Trump called for immediate peace negotiations.
Further anger arose when US special envoy Keith Kellogg indicated the EU’s exclusion from US-Russia talks, prompting French President Macron to convene an emergency meeting of European leaders.
Macron’s Paris meeting, attended by leaders from Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark, along with EU Commission President von der Leyen and NATO chief Rutte, focused on potential troop deployment to Ukraine and increased defense spending, but lacked concrete outcomes.
German Chancellor Scholz reported agreement on the need for unified European and US security and responsibility regarding Ukraine. Macron emphasized the necessity of EU-US-Ukraine collaboration for lasting peace.