Hungary to Russia: Let’s do more business

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said Thursday that Budapest is keen to strengthen economic ties with Moscow, despite ongoing European Union sanctions against Russia.

“Apart from the fact that we do not like the sanctions regime — although there are European rules that we have to comply with — we are very open about our desire to improve economic relations between Russia and Hungary in all areas that are not affected by sanctions,” Szijjártó told Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency Thursday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Szijjártó then referred to a Hungarian-Russian Economic Cooperation Committee meeting held in Budapest last week, which was attended by Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko.

“We also held a business forum, in which 173 entrepreneurs from both sides took part. For me, this shows that there is not only a political desire to improve economic relations, but business also wants this,” he said.

Hungary’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment.

Hungary’s vocal opposition to EU sanctions against Russia and its interest in strengthening economic ties with Moscow have raised concerns within the EU, leading to tensions between Brussels and Budapest.

EU foreign ministers and finance ministers recently boycotted EU meetings held in Budapest in September, sending a message of growing frustration about Hungary’s attitude toward Russia.