Hungary's FM welcomes Ukraine ceasefire accord

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Ukraine reached in Minsk on Thursday, but said its actual success would depend on implementation.

Addressing a news conference after meeting with his Polish counterpart Grzegorz Schetyna in Budapest, Szijjarto said Hungary had a vested interest in a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, given that it is Hungary's neighbor and home to a sizable ethnic Hungarian minority. He underlined that Hungary could only accept a negotiated, peaceful settlement and warned that any weapons deliveries to Ukraine would heighten the conflict.

Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and internationally-recognized borders must be respected, he said.

Szijjarto also said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was traveling to Kiev on Friday, for a visit that had been in the offing for weeks, but that the exact date had been uncertain because of diplomatic events.

The upcoming political meeting's agenda is certain to include bilateral relations as well as the ways in which Hungary can help Ukraine carry out necessary structural reforms. They will also discuss the Minsk agreement and Kiev's position regarding it. Hungary is ready to provide experts in implementing public administration and economic reforms.

In another development, the Hungarian Ecumenical Charity (HEC) announced that, in cooperation with the foreign ministry, it was initiating a program to assist refugee families in Ukraine.

HEC director Laszlo Lehel said his organization was providing groceries and personal hygiene supplies to families that have had to relocate to escape hostilities. The aid will go to 1,350 families or over 7,000 people, he said. Endit