Calling the war in Ukraine the biggest challenge and risk, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky emphasized that significant military aid and economic sanctions did not change the course of the war, so peace must be created through diplomacy. “Hungary feels the weight of history and is aware of the terrible human and material consequences of the war,” he said, paying special attention to the history of the Várkert Bazaar, which was rebuilt after the destruction of the war.
Photo: Noémi Bruzák / Source: MTI
The Minister of National Defense stated that the war in Ukraine is at the center of the deterioration of the security situation, which in the current “political fervor” could have irreversible and catastrophic consequences.
Turning to the Western Balkans, he explained: Europe must remain determined to continue the EU accession negotiations of the Western Balkan countries.
Hungary remains committed to the Western Balkans, he emphasized, mentioning the NATO mission stationed in Kosovo, of which Hungary is one of the biggest supporters, as well as the EUFOR Althea peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is commanded by a Hungarian general.
Speaking about the situation in the Middle East, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said: the region is on the verge of total war, which must be avoided at all costs. The trade corridor of the Red Sea is under constant threat, which, with the deterioration of the security situation, contributes to the further increase of mass immigration and all its undesirable consequences. These dangers must be prevented at the starting point, this is our accepted strategy, he added.
According to him, Hungary is not only making proposals, but taking concrete steps for a solution, mentioning the complex support provided to the Sahel region, “one of the main points of departure for illegal immigration”.
Photo: Noémi Bruzák / Source: MTI
Robert Brieger, the president of the EU military committee, reminded: the European Union has trained more than 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers, and in the recently launched Operation Aspidus, it saved 240 ships from the attacks of the Husi rebels in the Red Sea.
However, in addition to the achieved results, he also warned that the security environment in Europe is deteriorating at an unprecedented rate. Russia continues its “unwarranted war aggression” against Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East has risen to a new level, the Israeli army is attacking Houthi rebels in Yemen, and the Western Balkans continue to face challenges, he detailed.
For the successful functioning of the European Union in the future, it must develop a more flexible, resilient and competitive strategy. As part of this, the EU is revising the operational frameworks of its missions operating in three priority areas: the protection of ships in the Red Sea, the EU military assistance mission ensuring the survival of Ukraine, and cooperation operations with the Western Balkans, he stated.
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2024-10-14 16:58:00