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Hungary preparing PM Orban’s visit to Kiev, hope for dialogue with Ukraine — top diplomat

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto recalled that the Hungarian prime minister spoke with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky when the latter attended the European Union’s summit on February 9

BUDAPEST, March 5. /TASS/. Hungary is preparing Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visit to Kiev and hopes for a dialogue with Ukraine, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview with the H1 Croatian television channel, which was aired on Sunday.

He gave this interview during his recent visit to Zagreb. The interview was also posted on Szijjarto’s Facebook (outlawed in Russia s belonging to the Meta corporation, which has been recognized as extremist) account.

"When we see that all preliminary conditions are created, the visit will take place. But now we are at a stage of technical preparation," he said.

He recalled that the Hungarian prime minister spoke with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky when the latter attended the European Union’s summit on February 9. "WE are always ready for dialogue [with Ukraine]. We hope the dialogue will make sense," he added.

Hungary’s Nepszava newspaper reported earlier that during his brief meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of the EU summit, Orban received an invitation to visit Kiev. Unlike other EU leaders, the Hungarian prime minister has not visited the Ukrainian capital since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. Hungarian President Katalin Novak visited Kiev in November 2022.

Meanwhile, head of Orban’s office Gergely Gulyas said that the prime minister’s visit to Kiev will depend on the progress in the process of the restoration of the right of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region.