Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting to drag NATO into an armed conflict with Russia.

The accusation comes amidst criticism from Zelensky towards Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s peacekeeping efforts.

The Hungarian media reported that during a summit of the European Political Community in the United Kingdom on July 18, Zelensky condemned Orban’s recent visit to Moscow, labeling it a betrayal of Europe.

Despite the criticism from Kyiv and Brussels, Szijjarto asserted that Hungary would persist in its peacekeeping mission. He emphasized the need for peace to prevent further atrocities and escalation of the conflict, which he warned could lead to widespread chaos and potentially set all of Europe on fire. "We see that there are a lot of people, including the [Ukrainian] president, who are seeking to drag NATO into this war," Szijjarto said following talks with his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib.

Szijjarto defended Orban’s peace efforts, highlighting the ongoing human cost of the conflict, including deaths and forced displacements, as well as violations of human rights under the passive observation of international human rights organizations. He expressed his frustration with Zelensky’s disrespectful remarks towards Orban, stressing Hungary’s commitment to achieving peace in Ukraine. (ILKHA)