Sybiha talks to Orban's top diplomat

Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha held telephone conversations with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjártó, including Ukraine's European integration.

"During our conversation, I informed Peter Sijjarto about the escalation of terror by Russia and reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to peace efforts. We need the consolidated support of the international community to increase pressure on Russia and advance the peace process," the Ukrainian official said.

The parties discussed the upcoming visit of the Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka to Budapest, as well as other future contacts between the two countries.

Sybiha noted that Kyiv is "looking forward" to the consultations on the rights of the Hungarian national minority to be held on September 10: "Ukraine is ready to work on all bilateral issues in a spirit of mutual respect."

"I emphasized the need to open negotiating clusters as soon as possible within the framework of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU and to ensure that all EU member states support this step," the minister said.

He also welcomed Budapest's 10-year agreement with the British company Shell on gas supplies as "an important step towards strengthening the energy security of our region and the whole of Europe".

"The security of Ukraine and Europe is indivisible, and its strengthening is in our common interest. Pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries is key, and we invite the Hungarian side to work constructively on this," the head of Ukrainian diplomacy summarized.

• On September 8 Szijjártó announced that he would meet with Sybiha this week in Budapest to discuss relations between the two countries.

• Hungary is the only EU country that blocking Ukraine's integration to the bloc.

• Relations between the two countries deteriorated once again in August after Ukraine's successful attacks on infrastructure of the Russian Druzhba pipeline, through which Hungary receives oil from the aggressor country.