Exclusive interview – Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on the dangerous proximity of the Kremlin and its direct line to Bern: “The EU must understand that it needs Switzerland”

Blick then met Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto (45), who is considered Orban’s protégé and to whose national conservative party Fidesz belongs, for an interview. The central theme: the dangerous proximity to the Kremlin and flourishing relations with Switzerland.

Blick: Minister Szijjarto, Hungary is considered a problem child within the EU. What do you think is going wrong in Brussels?
Peter Szijjarto: The biggest problem is that there is less and less room for rational dialogue. Especially in the shadow of the war, the debates have become overheated, over-ideologized and over-politicized. If you raise a topic outside the general mainstream, you are seen as a spy of Putin, an ally of the Russians or a propagandist of the Kremlin.

Hungary is in fact the only EU country that maintains official contact with Russia. European Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova called the handshake between Orbán and Putin an “act of high treason”. How good is your relationship with Putin?
We have always strived for rational cooperation with the Russians. The reason is that Russia is a regional reality for us. History has determined what our house numbers are. Because we live close to each other, a practical and respectful relationship is a must for us.

While other countries have stopped cooperation, you have continued to expand the energy agreement with Russia. Why?
There is no political reason for this, but rather a physical reason. If we didn’t work together, our infrastructure would collapse. Without Russian resources we will not be able to supply Hungary with sufficient oil and gas. Russian energy companies have always been reliable and cooperation is going well.

However, other neighboring countries, such as the Baltic states, have made the cuts and managed to wean themselves off Russian gas without jeopardizing supplies. Why can’t Hungary do this?
Countries such as Lithuania are located on the sea and have built terminals for the delivery of liquefied natural gas by ship. In our region of Europe this is not possible. We are dependent on our great neighbor and could not survive without him.

Which side is Hungary on in the war between Russia and Ukraine?
Our position is clear. We know exactly who the aggressor and the victim is. We condemn war and the violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of another country. We take the same position as the other European countries. But our views differ when it comes to peace.

How do you see possibilities for peace?
The other states believe that developments on the battlefield will lead to a peace solution. On the other hand, we are convinced that rapid negotiations are needed – better today than tomorrow. We insist on this, among other things, because approximately 150,000 Hungarians live in Transcarpathia, the westernmost oblast of Ukraine. We do not want more Hungarians, some of whom are fighting at the front, and others to die in the war.

What exactly does your peace plan look like?
There are different peace plans from different states. We support everyone if this leads to a solution. But first a ceasefire is needed to allow talks.

Many plans suggest that Ukraine must give up the conquered territory. Do you support such a solution?
We argue that territorial integrity and sovereignty must be respected at all costs. But there is no point in going into the content of the peace plans, because we cannot even talk about them at the moment.

Would Hungary be willing to mediate?
Two days after the outbreak of war, I called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the chief of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, to offer Hungary as a safe negotiating area. I now hope that both will participate in the OSCE ministerial meeting in Skopje this week and that I can renew the offer for talks.

Why is Hungary still the last country to block Sweden’s accession to NATO?
Our parliamentarians were elected through open and fair elections. Now when we hear from the north that our elections are not legitimate and that we are a dictatorship, certain Hungarian politicians will think twice about their opinion. On the one hand the Swedes demand something from us, on the other hand they beat us up. I think it’s a matter of respect.

That sounds like a reaction of resistance. Why don’t you intervene personally?
I myself submitted the motion to have Sweden admitted to parliament. But this is not yet ready to negotiate.

In the Blick interview three years ago you promised closer cooperation with Switzerland. What happened in the meantime?
We broke the trading record. Last year the trading volume exceeded the two billion euro mark for the first time, this year the total has increased by another six percent. Dozens of Swiss companies have invested in Hungary. I maintain very good contact with my Swiss colleague Ignazio Cassis. Such relationships are sometimes underestimated; they play an important role.

Hungary is scheduled to take over the presidency of the Council of the EU in July 2024. How will you advocate for Switzerland in Brussels when it comes to a new agreement with the EU?
As it becomes less and less attractive, the EU must understand that it needs fewer and fewer partners, while becoming more and more dependent on partners. For example, it is foolish to exclude Switzerland from education and research programs such as Erasmus and Horizon. We want to ensure that the EU understands that it needs Switzerland and that close cooperation is in its own interest.

More about Hungary’s controversial path

During a speech in Zurich

Orbán advises Switzerland against joining the EU

“Hostile and threatening”

There is a clash between Hungary and Ukraine

Sick, broken, weak

That is why the EU is not allowed to grow

The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I understand Switzerland”