Orbán cabinet: Hungary pays special attention to the Sahel

Hungary believes the European Union and its member states should conduct a strategic review of their approach to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the state secretary for aiding persecuted Christians said in Brussels on Tuesday.

The EU has allocated more than 80 billion euros towards aiding Ukraine, Tristan Azbej told MTI after a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council’s development configuration. “We believe it’s time to assess the effectiveness of this aid scheme and how it leads to what Hungary considers the most important objective: a ceasefire and peace,” he said.

Azbej said Hungary was undertaking the largest humanitarian aid and reconstruction operation in its history in connection with the war, adding, at the same time, that European policies and measures had failed to achieve their objectives in this area.

The state secretary said he had also stressed the importance of humanitarian aid, crisis resolution and peace in connection with the conflict in Gaza at the council meeting.

“Those who are suffering deserve humanitarian assistance regardless of which side they are on,” Azbej said. He said it was in this spirit that Hungary demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages, including the Hungarian citizens, being held by the Hamas terrorist group.

Hungary, in cooperation with Egypt, provides support to the civilians who have fled Gaza, he said, adding that peace still needed to be the primary consideration.