Budapest has an “emergency scenario” for protecting Hungarians living in the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine in the event of the outbreak of hostilities in this region. This was stated by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, RIA Novosti reports.
Like any country in the neighborhood of which there is an armed conflict, Hungary “must be ready to defend itself if necessary,” Szijjártó said. He also stressed that the West should focus on promoting an early ceasefire in Ukraine, followed by a peace deal.
“We have emergency scenarios prepared. It is in our interest that peace be established in the east as soon as possible, because then we will be able to avoid the dangerous scenarios prepared in order to protect the 150,000 Hungarians living in Transcarpathia,” Szijjarto said.
Representatives of the Hungarian minority live compactly in the southwestern part of the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine near the border with Hungary. Their number is estimated at 150 thousand people.
On the eve of the Ministry of Defense of Hungary increased the combat readiness of the national armed forces. Earlier, Szijjártó explained Budapest’s refusal to supply arms to Kyiv as unwillingness to expose the Hungarian community of Transcarpathia to the risk of Russian strikes.
