ASTANA, February 17. /TASS/. Forces that oppose a diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine conflict are uniting at the European emergency summit on Ukraine held on February 17 in Paris, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said during his visit to Kazakhstan.
"We have to recognize that the parties that oppose peace are now joining forces in Europe. Supporters of war are uniting in Europe," the Hungarian minister of foreign affairs and trade told reporters following talks with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu.
Participants of the European emergency summit on Ukraine will do everything possible to prevent a peaceful resolution of the conflict, Szijjarto noted. "Today Paris will host a meeting of those who have been constantly adding fuel to the fire of war in Ukraine for the last three years. These countries are for the war, they have supported the flawed strategy of sanctions in Europe. These states have constantly escalated the conflict. <...> Today the parties supporting the war are coming together in Paris, and they oppose peace and [US President Donald] Trump. They also want to do everything in their power to prevent a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict," the minister said.
Szijjarto added that, "unlike them," Budapest supports Trump's intentions and welcomes talks between Russia and the US, because the country wants to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict.
Astana has also advocated support for Moscow-Washington talks on resolving the situation in Ukraine. Nurtleu earlier noted that the recent conversation of the two leader's gave hope for the end of the conflict, and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called it a positive trend that would benefit other countries like Kazakhstan.
On February 17, European leaders are attending Paris for an informal meeting on the Ukraine conflict and regional security, in particular strengthening the EU's autonomy in ensuring it.