BUDAPEST, April 13. /TASS/. The Hungarian government rejects US attempts to force it to join the military conflict in Ukraine and intends to adhere to its original peace stance on the issue, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations, Peter Szijjarto, told a news conference after a meeting with his Liberian counterpart, Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah in Budapest on Thursday.
Asked about the recent remarks of the US ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, Szijjarto noted that the two countries' approaches to the events in Ukraine differ.
"We have different views on this situation. We Hungarians are for peace. We want a ceasefire in Ukraine and the beginning of peace negotiations. And we cannot be dissuaded or forced to change our peace stance," Sijjarto said. "We do not see any reason why we should succumb to pressure from anyone."
He stressed that Hungary, as a sovereign state, had the right to demand respect from other countries and had no desire to be "lectured" or dragged into hostilities.
Washington has long openly expressed dissatisfaction with Budapest's refusal to supply arms to Kiev and its determination to maintain relations with Moscow.
Pressman told the media on Wednesday that the US administration had "concerns about the continued eagerness of Hungarian leaders to expand and deepen ties".