Budapest, 3 March 2025 (MIA) - Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, underscored Hungary’s support for North Macedonia’s EU path at a press conference Monday with Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski, while also stating that both countries are in favor of peace in Ukraine, something which, according to the Hungarian FM, they demonstrated through their support for the United States’ Resolution in the United Nations.

“We and the Republic of North Macedonia are on the side of peace. We support [U.S. President Donald] Trump and the success of the talks between the United States and Russia, because we can clearly see that peace can only be achieved through an agreement between the U.S. and Russia. The Macedonians and the Hungarians are interested in restoring peace, and we demonstrated this through our cooperation last week at the UN when we supported the U.S. Resolution,” Szijjártó said at the joint press conference in Budapest.

The Hungarian FM said restoring peace is in the interest of all since, he said, boosting the economies of the countries and the EU depends on peace and enlargement with the Western Balkans.

Szijjártó spoke of “hypocritical” behavior by many countries “contributing to the destruction of trust in the Western Balkan countries” and added that the merit-based approach to enlargement should apply to all.

“A disagreement between a member state and a candidate state cannot be seen as an issue of merit. As you have seen, we have always strived for full-fledged membership of the Republic of North Macedonia in the EU and that is why we signed today’s agreement,” the Foreign Minister said.

According to the Hungarian Foreign Minister “changes on the other side of the Atlantic” have boosted chances to restore peace in Europe.

“However, unfortunately there are forces who are trying to do everything to stop President Trump’s peace deal,” Szijjártó said at the press conference, adding that eight EU member states have decided “to continue the war in Ukraine” at the summit in London.

On Monday afternoon, the foreign ministers of North Macedonia and Hungary signed an Action Plan on exchange of expertise by the Hungarian Diplomatic Academy on mutually agreed EU integration topics, administration processes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Budapest. The agreement was signed as part of a visit to the country by a government delegation headed by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski ahead of a planned joint government session on Tuesday.

Photo: Screenshot