Hungary will play a role in mitigating the humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Sunday during a press conference with Viktor Mikita, the governor of Transcarpathia, at the Hungarian-Ukrainian border crossing in Záhony.
Szijjártó emphasized that Hungary would accept those in need and offer aid to Transcarpathia, revealing that 100,000 liters of fuel had already been sent to the region on Sunday, at the request of the governor, to alleviate the fuel supply crisis in the region.
The Hungarian government is also cooperating with the Ecumenical Relief Organization to provide food, hygiene and childcare products to those in need, and the first shipment has already arrived with 28 tons of food, Szijjártó said. He added that war is the worst-case scenario, and a completely unacceptable one that will not solve anything. He underlined that the war had led to one of the greatest humanitarian disasters in the region that “our generation has experienced.”
The Hungarian government minister emphasized that Hungary and its people are interested in peace, which requires negotiations, and urged Russia and Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible.
Szijjártó confirmed that Hungary had offered the parties a place to negotiate, and had spoken to the leaders of the governments of both countries about the prospect of negotiations several times in the last two days. At the same time, Szijjártó remarked that the point was not where the negotiations would be, but that they should happen.
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The Hungarian foreign minister revealed he is in constant contact with Ukraine and will continue to provide assistance. More than 68,000 liters of gas and 32,000 liters of diesel have been sent by Hungary to Ukraine, in addition to the support Hungary is providing to healthcare institutions, ambulance services, humanitarian organizations and disaster relief in Transcarpathia.
The head of the ministry also reported that since Feb. 24, 66,000 people have crossed the border from Ukraine, and exemplary cooperation has been established between the Ukrainian border guard and the Hungarian police.
Hungarian railways MÁV announced on Sunday it will provide free tickets to all refugees arriving to Hungary from Ukraine to their destination of choice within the country or the relevant border crossing, should they travel beyond Hungary.
