Latest news with #ForeignAffairsandTrade
Budapest Times
a day ago
- Business
- Budapest Times
Szijjártó: Two key world political figures trounced von der Leyen in a single week
Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said two key world political figures trounced President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in a single week. The foreign minister added that multiple tariffs must be paid for European goods in the US from now on, while von der Leyen had been afforded a greeting in China more in line with the arrival of a tourist than an official representative of the bloc. 'The European Union is basically now the butt of humiliation and ridicule in world politics,' a ministry statement quoted him as saying. No one, he added, could afford to speak about Donald Trump or Chinese leaders, as many European politicians had done, in a demeaning way without bearing the consequences. He said crude and vulgar comments about Trump had 'backfired', adding that tariffs of 2.5 percent on European cars and other goods would now rise to 15 percent. Minister Szijjártó said it was shameful 'that such a person represents the European Union'. Meanwhile, the minister expressed hope that a rift would not develop between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'The world has become a safer place since the American and Russian presidents started talking to each other,' he said. Minister Szijjártó accused Western European leaders of attempting to undermine US peace efforts, calling such efforts 'extremely irresponsible and criminal'. Had Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Western European politicians 'not hindered' Trump's efforts, the settlement of the war might be 'much closer', he added. He said Western European leaders had turned the war in Ukraine into a global problem, 'and even a European war'. Referring to the 'Hungarian peace mission' last summer, he said most of his EU counterparts had savaged him for trying to promote a ceasefire and peace negotiations. 'Donald Trump has solved things in the rest of the world, but in Europe … they are trying to suppress and shame normal, conservative, patriotic, peace-loving politicians,' he said. Minister Szijjártó said that as long as a national government was in power, Hungary would be a good place to live. But if a 'puppet government at the mercy of Brussels comes to power', there would no longer be a government to fight Hungary's corner against 26 EU member states.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Ireland among 15 nations to call for two-state solution in Gaza
Ireland has signed a joint statement of foreign ministers to call for an immediate Gaza ceasefire and the implementation of a two-state solution, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said. The meeting took place at the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York this week. The other signatories were: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain. The conference was attended by over 130 UN Member States. The meeting highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the urgent need for a ceasefire, release of hostages and unimpeded humanitarian access into and throughout Gaza. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said the conference demonstrated that there is another way forward, adding that the "international community demands an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal" as well as urgent humanitarian aid for Gaza. Mr Harris added that they were ready to take "concrete steps" to implement the two-state solution. "Ireland is doubling down on our commitment to achieve a just, lasting peace where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in peace and security. We will continue to do all in our power to work for that peace." Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment Emer Higgins represented Ireland at the conference. Recognition of Palestinian state The 15 Western nations also called on countries worldwide to move to recognise a Palestinian state, according to France's top diplomat. President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States. France is hoping to build momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. Yesterday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various "substantive steps", including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Mr Starmer's move, paired with Paris, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so. In the joint statement, the nations affirmed their "unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution". Nine of the signatories which have not yet recognised the Palestinian state expressed "the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries" to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Seventeen countries, plus the European Union and Arab League, during the conference joined calls for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Ireland, 14 other nations call for two-state solution in Gaza
Tánaiste Simon Harris has said that Ireland signed a joint statement alongside 14 other foreign ministers to call for an immediate Gaza ceasefire and the implementation of a two-state solution. The meeting took place at the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York this week. Other signatories included: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain. The conference was attended by over 130 UN Member States. The meeting highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the urgent need for a ceasefire, release of hostages and unimpeded humanitarian access into and throughout Gaza. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said the conference demonstrated that there is another way forward, adding that the "international community demands an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal" as well as urgent humanitarian aid for Gaza. He added that they were ready to take "concrete steps" to implement the two-state solution. "Ireland is doubling down on our commitment to achieve a just, lasting peace where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in peace and security. We will continue to do all in our power to work for that peace." Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Emer Higgins, represented Ireland at the conference. Recognition of Palestinian state The 15 Western nations also called on countries worldwide to move to recognise a Palestinian state, according to France's top diplomat. President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States. France is hoping to build momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. Yesterday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various "substantive steps", including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Mr Starmer's move, paired with Paris, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so. In the joint statement, the nations affirmed their "unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution." Nine of the signatories which have not yet recognised the Palestinian state expressed "the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries" to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Seventeen countries, plus the European Union and Arab League, during the conference joined calls for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory.
Budapest Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Szijjártó: EU supports Ukraine but fails to embrace countries like the Western Balkans
Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the European Union's policies suggest that 'a country, like Ukraine, which would bring war to the community, will be met with open arms' while the EU fails to embrace countries such as those in the Western Balkans, that would ensure 'development and fresh energy'. Following talks with Dragan Covic, deputy speaker of the upper house of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Budapest on Monday, the two parties held a joint press conference, where Minister Szijjártó noted that Hungary's foreign policy was centred upon peace and stability 'at the current times of extraordinary challenges and crises.' 'We want to see peaceful solutions to the wars currently underway and prevent further conflicts through stability,' the foreign ministry quoted Minister Szijjártó as saying. He added that peace and stability were also at the centre of Hungarian efforts concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is in Hungary's fundamental interest 'that there is calm in the Western Balkans region', he added. While the Hungarian government pursues a responsible neighbourhood policy, 'Brussels' irresponsible policy continuously destroys Europe's security,' he said. 'When it comes to the war in Ukraine, Brussels keeps pouring oil into the fire; they push for Ukraine's fast-track accession and that Ukraine should bring the war into the EU,' he said, adding that the EU's rejection of admitting the Western Balkans was 'another dangerous and irresponsible decision'. The EU's policy is 'extremely dangerous', Minister Szijjártó said, adding that the Hungarian government 'firmly rejects' Ukraine's admittance but supports the Western Balkans' accession. Minister Szijjártó assured his negotiating partner of Hungary's support to 'stability, development, and calm' in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but added that it was necessary that all ethnicities should be granted their due rights. 'Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be granted the right to elect leaders to represent them; it is important that Bosnia and Herzegovina removes the negative discrimination against Croats at their election,' he said. People in Bosnia and Herzegovina should have 'the decisions concerning the future of their country in their own hands, without people coming from outside and without any legitimacy telling them what they should do,' he said. 'The Croatian community in Bosnia and Herzegovina can continue to rely on Hungary's support, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the whole of the Western Balkans can count on Hungary's support,' Minister Szijjártó said.
Budapest Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Budapest Times
FM: Major US investments planned in Hungary
Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said negotiations are at an advanced stage on several major US investments planned in Hungary. Minister Szijjártó said the next US investment is expected to be announced on Friday, and another three projects will follow. Growing US FDI arriving in Hungary and the jobs created by these investments will offset the damage done by the European Commission in terms of the new trade tariffs, he said. Communication between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and US President Donald Trump is continuous, he said and added that a personal meeting could be arranged at any time if it looked necessary. 'As for any secondary tariffs, we very much hope to avoid those,' he added. 'Hopefully, there will be a solution in Ukraine within the deadline projected by Donald Trump, and then the issue of secondary tariffs can be taken off the agenda,' he said. On the US-European trade deal signed the previous day, Minister Szijjártó noted that Hungary's government had already proposed at the time of President Trump's inauguration that the EC should immediately reduce tariffs on US imports. 'If the EC had moved then, then the tariff ordeal that the European Union has been forced to take part in recent months would not have taken place,' Minister Szijjártó said. 'This tariff ordeal of EC President Ursula von der Leyen and the Commission has caused serious damage to the EU and the European economy. We could have avoided a worse deal with the United States than that of our competitors if the EC had taken the necessary decisions in time, when Trump took office,' he said.
