Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok Meets Volodymyr Zelensky for the First Time
At the annual summit and business forum of the Three Seas Initiative (TSI), representatives from thirteen countries located between the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Adriatic Sea (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, Croatia, Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria) gather to promote political, economic, and infrastructural cooperation in Central Europe.
The initiative aims at enhancing the region's competitiveness and economic clout in Europe and globally, as highlighted in a statement from the Sándor Palace.
During the summit held in Vilnius, Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok expressed Hungary's commitment to strengthening these ties, emphasizing the importance of economic and diplomatic relations based on mutual respect and the connection among Central and Eastern European countries. Representatives of the participating countries adopted a joint declaration and engaged in multiple bilateral meetings, Sulyok included.
"The foremost goal is the security of the European continent," Sulyok stated, discussing the reinforcement of bilateral relations and strategic partnerships, especially with Romania. He congratulated Romania on its partial accession to the Schengen Area and underlined Hungary's long-standing support for Romania's full membership.
In talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Sulyok condemned Russian aggression and affirmed Hungary's commitment to aiding refugees from Ukraine and providing humanitarian support to the war-afflicted country. Sulyok stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a sustainable, just peace, underscoring the guarantee of European continent's security as a paramount objective.
The Hungarian president also addressed the importance of restoring and guaranteeing the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia to his Ukrainian counterpart, advocating for a return to previous conditions and the reinstatement of acquired rights for the Hungarian minority. Both leaders expressed their commitment to continuing dialogue and negotiations.
Zelensky shared a post about his first meeting with Sulyok, discussing the preparations for the Global Peace Summit and inviting Hungary to participate. He also suggested Hungary join the G7’s Vilnius declaration supporting Ukraine and to start crafting a bilateral security agreement. "Thank you for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Zelensky wrote on Facebook.
In addition, Sulyok held discussions with Slovak and Latvian leaders, emphasizing Hungary's role as a reliable ally to Latvia as a NATO member and expressing Hungary's readiness to share experiences from the Veszprém–Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture event with Liepaja, planning a similar project in 2027.
Despite differences in emphasis between the countries' positions, Sulyok appreciated the problem-free nature of the bilateral relations and the openness to dialogue. The discussions with Slovakia's representative also touched on strengthening strategic partnerships and supporting the Visegrád Group's cooperation.
In a Facebook post, Sulyok reflected, "We have reinforced our relations and adopted our joint declaration with the representatives of the Lithuanian, Romanian, Polish, Bulgarian, Austrian, Estonian, Czech, Latvian, Greek, Slovak, Croatian, and Slovenian states at the summit of the Three Seas Initiative."
This exemplifies the collaborative spirit of the participating nations, aiming to enhance the strategic importance of Central Europe on the global stage.
During the summit held in Vilnius, Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok expressed Hungary's commitment to strengthening these ties, emphasizing the importance of economic and diplomatic relations based on mutual respect and the connection among Central and Eastern European countries. Representatives of the participating countries adopted a joint declaration and engaged in multiple bilateral meetings, Sulyok included.
"The foremost goal is the security of the European continent," Sulyok stated, discussing the reinforcement of bilateral relations and strategic partnerships, especially with Romania. He congratulated Romania on its partial accession to the Schengen Area and underlined Hungary's long-standing support for Romania's full membership.
In talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Sulyok condemned Russian aggression and affirmed Hungary's commitment to aiding refugees from Ukraine and providing humanitarian support to the war-afflicted country. Sulyok stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a sustainable, just peace, underscoring the guarantee of European continent's security as a paramount objective.
The Hungarian president also addressed the importance of restoring and guaranteeing the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia to his Ukrainian counterpart, advocating for a return to previous conditions and the reinstatement of acquired rights for the Hungarian minority. Both leaders expressed their commitment to continuing dialogue and negotiations.
Zelensky shared a post about his first meeting with Sulyok, discussing the preparations for the Global Peace Summit and inviting Hungary to participate. He also suggested Hungary join the G7’s Vilnius declaration supporting Ukraine and to start crafting a bilateral security agreement. "Thank you for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Zelensky wrote on Facebook.
In addition, Sulyok held discussions with Slovak and Latvian leaders, emphasizing Hungary's role as a reliable ally to Latvia as a NATO member and expressing Hungary's readiness to share experiences from the Veszprém–Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture event with Liepaja, planning a similar project in 2027.
Despite differences in emphasis between the countries' positions, Sulyok appreciated the problem-free nature of the bilateral relations and the openness to dialogue. The discussions with Slovakia's representative also touched on strengthening strategic partnerships and supporting the Visegrád Group's cooperation.
In a Facebook post, Sulyok reflected, "We have reinforced our relations and adopted our joint declaration with the representatives of the Lithuanian, Romanian, Polish, Bulgarian, Austrian, Estonian, Czech, Latvian, Greek, Slovak, Croatian, and Slovenian states at the summit of the Three Seas Initiative."
This exemplifies the collaborative spirit of the participating nations, aiming to enhance the strategic importance of Central Europe on the global stage.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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