On September 3, 2019, Charge d'Affaires of Hungary in Ukraine Ms. Krisztina Márfi was invited to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

A strong protest was delivered to the Hungarian diplomat regarding a statement made on August 30, 2019, by the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office State Secretary Tristan Azbej, in which he used inappropriate phrasing, in particular, calling the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine a “civil war crisis”.

The Ukrainian Side emphasized that high-ranking officials of the neighbouring country calling the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which has been going on since 2014, a “civil war” is categorically unacceptable for Ukraine. In addition to being untrue, such a wording also contradicts the official position of the EU and NATO, of which Hungary is a member. The EU sanctions were imposed against the Russian Federation precisely because of that aggression. Such a substitution of concepts, the like of which was made in the discussed case, in no way contributes to stopping the aggression.

The Ukrainian Side hopes for further solidarity of our partners in supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. We draw attention to the need to call things by their true name, when the matter of the Russian aggression against Ukraine is discussed.