Pressman: Hungary stubbornly continues to maintain and even deepen its connectivity with Russia

“Hungary stubbornly continues to maintain and even deepen its “connectivity” with Russia. (...) To continue to double-down on reliance on Russia while it attempts to decapitate your democratic neighbor is wrong” – this was one of the topics discussed by US Ambassador David Pressman at a reception held on Wednesday evening in honour of US-Hungarian scientific cooperation.

At the beginning of his speech, Pressman noted that while Hungary expands its relationship with Moscow, a massive wave of water from the destruction of the Kakhova hydroelectric dam has just swept over and displaced tens of thousands of people in and around Kherson.

“A few things are clear: it was Russia that started this war, it was Russia that occupied this area of Ukraine, and it was Russia that was in control of this dam.” -

the communiqué of the US Embassy quotes Pressman as saying.

The ambassador continued by adding: “Also clearly, just this weekend, the Foreign Minister of Hungary Péter Szijjártó described Russia as Hungary’s “reliable partner” on energy, and one that would not be replaced. This is a moment of enormous consequence in the region and the world. To continue to double-down on reliance on Russia while it attempts to decapitate your democratic neighbor is wrong.”

Pressman noted that at the moment, the Hungarian and US governments' positions may seem worlds apart, but at the same time, for example in the field of space exploration, the United States and Hungary are making significant progress together.

The ambassador said the United States is proud of the cooperation between Hungary and the US-based company Axiom Space, which aims to send a Hungarian astronaut to the International Space Station in 2024.

“In this spirit, the United States also invites Hungary to join us and our international partners in signing the Artemis Accords, which aims to promote the peaceful, civil use of space, including for research and exploration like Hungary’s mission to the International Space Station", Pressman said.