Novák is the only V4 president to not sign presidential declaration condemning Russian annexation of Ukrainian territories

The Latvian, Estonian, Romanian, Polish and Czech presidents are among the signatories of a declaration in which the heads of state of Central and Eastern European countries condemned Russian aggression and the recent annexation of Ukrainian territories, Napunk reported. Hungarian President Katalin Novák is the only one from the region who has not signed the document, even though Hungary is a neighbour of Ukraine.

"We, the Presidents of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, whose leaders have visited war-torn Kiev and witnessed Russian aggression with their own eyes, cannot remain silent as Russia openly violates international law, and thus we are making the following statement:

We reaffirm our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We do not and will never recognise Russia's ambition to annex any part of Ukraine.

We support Ukraine in defending itself against Russian invasion, demand that Russia withdraw immediately from all occupied territories and call on all Allies to significantly increase military assistance to Ukraine.

Anyone who commits crimes of aggression must be held accountable."

-states the document signed by Slovakian President Zuzana Caputová, Miloš Zeman, President of the Czech Republic, Alar Karis President of Estonia, Egils Levits, President of Latvia, Gitanas Nauseda President of Lithuania, President Stevo Pendarovski of North Macedonia, President Milo Đukanović of Montenegro, President Andrzej Duda of Poland and President Klaus Iohannis of Romania.

As hvg.hu reported, while the Slovak President published the statement on her official website, there is no indication on Katalin Novák's website that such a statement exists. We have contacted her press office about the statement, and will update our article as soon as we receive a reply.

The Hungarian government's position was interpreted at the most recent cabinet briefing by government spokeswoman Alexandra Szentkirályi and Gergely Gulyás, the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff. Regarding this issue they said that Hungary does not accept the Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory.