"European ministers must act in the interests of the EU" – Kallas criticized Hungary's contacts with Russia
Kyiv • UNN
The EU's chief diplomat urged ministers to work for Europe, not for Russia. Szijjártó discussed with Lavrov the lifting of sanctions on a relative of oligarch Usmanov.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, reacted to information about the Hungarian Foreign Minister's conversation with his Russian counterpart, stating that European politicians should act in the interests of the European Union, not Russia. She said this during a briefing, as reported by UNN.
Details
According to Kallas, in the current conditions of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, such contacts raise questions about the unity of the EU's position and adherence to sanctions policy.
European ministers must work for Europe, not for Russia
Earlier, a recording of a phone conversation between Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appeared online. During the conversation, according to the published information, the parties discussed the possibility of excluding the sister of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov from the sanctions list.
In particular, the Hungarian minister, it is alleged, expressed readiness to assist in resolving this issue.
Against this background, the discussion in the EU is intensifying regarding compliance with sanctions and the coherence of the foreign policy of member states, especially in the context of the ongoing war and the need to preserve the unity of the bloc.