Hungarian foreign minister hits out at U.S. 'escalation' of Ukraine conflict

Hungary's Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, has voiced concerns over plans to provide Ukraine with approval to use weapons provided by its allies to strike targets in Russian territory. 

"Such measures can increase the risk of escalation," Szijjártó said in an interview with CGTN on the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. 

"We are a neighboring country, so in case of an escalation are immediately affected," Szijjártó  declared. "We are not thousands of kilometers away, we are in the geographic neighborhood so we strongly argue against the pro-war policy of the European Union and the current American administration."

The Biden administration has reportedly given a green light for Kyiv to use its weapons to strike Russian targets deep into its territory. Moscow says the move marks a new round of tension in the conflict but the policy is supported by the European Union's Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell. 

"Ukraine must be able to use the weapons we've provided not only to stop the arrows but to target the archers," Borrell said. 

Foreign ministers from the EU's member states have also gathered to discuss the conflict in the Middle East. 

Borrell has put forward a proposal to suspend political dialogue with Israel over alleged human rights violations. Speaking to journalists on Monday, Borrell said that after months of failed efforts to achieve a ceasefire, the international community needed to apply pressure to both Hamas and the Israeli government. 

EU member states have been divided over the issue. Szijjártó called it a bad decision. "Once you cut the channels of communication you lose the hope for peace," he added.

Foreign ministers have gathered at the European Council for the first time since the U.S. election.

Hungary's representative says that other member states that have previously criticized Donald Trump are "pretty nervous" about his election win.

Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orbán has been a long-standing ally of the former president and said he would celebrate his reelection with "bottles of champagne." 

Following Trump's election win, Orbán, sometimes referred to in the media as a 'Trump whisperer,' described on social media the U.S. President-elect's triumph as  "a much needed victory for the World!" 

According to Szijjártó: "The fact that President Trump has won the election could offer a great chance to Europe as well to finally get rid of the very unsuccessful and failed strategy which is a pro-war pro-migration strategy." 

Szijjártó said that sentiment is not shared among fellow member states. "So far, at least from what I have seen today, (there) is a bit of (a) lack of understanding about this new reality, or at least a denial of this new reality," he stated.