U.S. urges Hungary not to use NATO in disputes with Ukraine

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison has reiterated the call for Hungary to stop interfering with the alliance's cooperation with Ukraine.

She said this during a telephonic briefing in Brussels, while commenting on problems in relations between Budapest and Kyiv due to the new Ukrainian law on education, according to the Voice of America.

We continue to urge Hungary not to use bilateral disagreements contrary to NATO's commitment to cooperate with Ukraine, the ambassador said.

U.S. representatives also stressed earlier that Budapest should not abuse its position as a member of the North Atlantic Alliance to resolve disputes with other countries.

Hutchison said that it is important for Ukraine, as a country suffering from Russian aggression on its borders, that it receive the assistance in every possible way to deter Russian aggression.

The ambassador also expressed hope that Hungary would separately settle its disagreements with Ukraine on the law on education and then join the U.S. in NATO to help Ukraine preserve its sovereign territory and stabilize its democracy.

Ukraine's new law on education came into force on September 28, 2017. Its clause regarding the state language of education has been criticized in some circles in Ukraine and abroad, in particular in Hungary.

Transitional clauses of the law provide for a gradual increase in the number of subjects taught in the Ukrainian language. Budapest regards this as a violation of the rights of the Hungarian minority. Kyiv rejects these allegations.

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