Ukraine FM warns Hungary timing of delegation visit unacceptable

This was reported to Ukrinform by diplomatic sources.

“For the Ukrainian side, the dates of the visit proposed in the embassy's note are unacceptable. We propose that the Hungarian side agree through diplomatic channels on new dates for the visit of the Hungarian delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Energy Gabor Czepek,” the Foreign Ministry's note dated March 10 reads.

On the evening of March 11, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of lying on Facebook, commenting on the head of state's statement that he did not know what the Hungarian delegation was doing in Ukraine.

Szijjártó also published a photo of a note sent on March 10 by the Hungarian Embassy to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, which stated that Deputy Minister of Energy Gábor Czepek would visit our country accompanied by a delegation on March 11. According to the document, the delegation was to stay in Kyiv on Thursday and Friday. In this regard, the embassy asked the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to facilitate a meeting between Gabor Czepek and First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal.

As reported by Ukrinform, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he did not know what the Hungarian delegation, which arrived for alleged talks on the resumption of the Druzhba oil pipeline, was doing in Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry stated that since this group of people has no official status or scheduled official meetings on the territory of Ukraine, it is definitely incorrect to call them a “delegation.”

Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote an open letter to Volodymyr Zelensky, calling for the immediate reopening of the Druzhba oil pipeline.

European Council President António Costa and Volodymyr Zelensky agreed that Ukraine would assess how long it would take to repair the Druzhba pipeline damaged by Russia.