Hungarian Foreign Minister arrives in Moscow for 13th time since beginning of full-scale invasion, raising suspicions in EU
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has visited Russia so often since its invasion of Ukraine that it has raised suspicions among European diplomats – he is back in Moscow on 26 March.
As reported by Bloomberg, as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's chief diplomat for the past 11 years, 46-year-old Szijjártó has become the face of Hungary's pro-Russian policy, which has led to frequent clashes with other European Union countries.
Since the full-scale war began more than three years ago, he has visited Russia at least 13 times. This frequency of visits has surprised some European officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity and questioned their purpose.
Even the foreign ministers of some of Moscow's closest allies do not travel to Russia with such regularity, while Western allies have cut ties or drastically reduced contacts.
Hungary has taken a different approach, using its ties to Moscow for economic gain. It has secured exemptions from EU sanctions on Russian oil and doubled its purchases of natural gas from Russia. Hungary also insists on expanding its only nuclear power plant under Russian management.
"Hungary’s and Russia’s energy cooperation has withstood the most difficult times," Szijjártó said on Wednesday after meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow.
He said that this will allow MOL Nyrt, Hungary's largest refinery with wells in Russia, to expand its presence in the country.
Szijjártó’s visit came hours after the US said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, even though the Kremlin said its participation would depend on several preconditions, including the easing of sanctions.
On 22 March, Szijjártó said that Hungary would block progress on Ukraine's accession to the EU until the Hungarians of Zakarpattia were returned the "rights taken away in 2015".
Earlier, Szijjártó complained that at a meeting of EU diplomats on 17 March, he saw no support for Budapest's position on protecting the rights of Hungarians in Ukraine.