Hungary's Fidesz Party Urges New Leadership to Maintain Neutrality in Russia-Ukraine Conflict

BUDAPEST, June 2. /TASS/. Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Alliance, led by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has called on the country's new leadership to maintain neutrality in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The appeal follows Ukrainian strikes on a college in Starobelsk and Russia's response to the attack.

"The bombing of the Russian college and Moscow's retaliatory actions pose a growing threat to the entire region, including countries bordering Ukraine. The party calls on the Hungarian authorities not to abandon the Orban government's policy of peace and to maintain neutrality in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Renouncing neutrality would pose a serious threat to the security of Hungary and Hungarian families," the party said in a statement published on its website.

Orban had previously urged the new government led by Peter Magyar to remain neutral in the conflict unfolding in the neighboring country. Last week, the former prime minister expressed concern over an incident in the Romanian city of Galati, where two people were injured after a drone struck a residential building. Bucharest blamed Moscow for the incident.

In the early hours of May 22, the dormitory and classroom buildings of the Starobelsk Pedagogical College in the Lugansk People's Republic came under attack by the Ukrainian military. Twenty-one people were killed. President Vladimir Putin subsequently issued the necessary orders to the Russian military regarding the attack. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the military would begin systematic strikes on defense industry facilities in Kiev.

During its time in power, Orban's party consistently advocated resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine exclusively through peaceful means. The new government, formed by Magyar after his Tisza party's victory in the April 12 parliamentary elections, has also stated the need to seek an end to the conflict through diplomatic efforts and has refused to supply weapons to Kiev. At the same time, it has taken a tougher stance than its predecessors toward Russia's policies and has already condemned Moscow's actions on several occasions.