14:01 28.09.2021

Kuleba urges Hungary not to 'unwind emotions' over signing of agreement with Gazprom

2 min read
Kuleba urges Hungary not to 'unwind emotions' over signing of agreement with Gazprom

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Hungary not to "unwind emotions" due to the crisis over the signing of an agreement with Gazprom by Budapest on gas transit bypassing Ukraine.

"I urge Hungarian partners not to 'unwind' emotions now, they very often say different things about Ukraine that we do not like, but we do not react to them emotionally. We must act pragmatically, look for a way out of this crisis that will meet the interests of Ukraine and Hungary, because it is also in the interests of Europe," Kuleba told journalists in Kyiv on Tuesday.

The minister said the issue of excluding Ukraine from the transit scheme was a requirement of Russia, and Hungary accepted this requirement.

"I am opposed to being guided by emotions in this situation. We or our Hungarian partners. We do not deny Hungary's right to conclude an agreement with Gazprom. But we clearly see that Hungary could conclude an equally economically beneficial contract that would included transit through Ukraine. We understand the issue of excluding Ukraine from the transit scheme was a requirement of Russia, Hungary accepted this requirement, it does not meet our interests, we protect our interests. That is the whole story," Kuleba said.

He also said Ukraine will turn to the European Commission to understand how Hungary's agreement with Gazprom affects the EU energy security.

"We will talk with the European Commission, as it is important to understand how this agreement affects the EU energy security," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said.

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