Ukraine issues demarche to Hungary over non-inclusion of Crimea in map
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Kiev is upset with Hungary over the latter making a video that shows Crimea not being a part of Ukraine, issuing a demarche over the issue.
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Cars and other vehicles drive on the Crimean Bridge connecting the Russian mainland and Crimea over the Kerch Strait in Kerch, Russia, February 23, 2023 (AP)
Kiev issued on Saturday an official demarche to Hungary over a video showing a map of Ukraine without Crimea, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.
The Hungarian government in late May released a video calling for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine war. The video included a map showing Crimea not to be under Ukraine's jurisdiction and outside Ukrainian territories, drawing Kiev's ire.
"Hungary has to stop the provocations and adhere to the international obligations undertaken within the framework of membership in the UN, the EU, and NATO," Kiev's ministry said in a statement. "Playing along with the aggressive policy of Russia does not contribute to the prompt restoration of peace in Europe, which the Hungarian government advocates in public."
"On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Charge d'Affaires of Ukraine in Hungary made an official demarche to the Hungarian side," Kiev revealed.
Furthermore, the statement underlined that Budapest's designation of Crimea as a territory that does not belong to Ukraine comes in contradiction of Hungary's repeatedly proclaimed stance in favor of Ukraine and support of its territorial integrity.
Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Crimea was part of independent Ukraine.
Kiev's continued assertions about Crimea come despite the peninsula becoming a region of Russia's following a referendum that was held there in early 2014 regarding its unity with Russia.
The results of the referendum are not recognized by Ukraine or the Western nations, which also view Crimea as a Russian-occupied territory.
Meanwhile, Moscow insists that Crimeans voted democratically in compliance with international law and the UN Charter to unite with Russia, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to underline that the Crimean issue is "closed".
It was reported in January that the United States was considering providing Ukraine with the weapons necessary to target the Crimean Peninsula, which is instrumental for Russia's operations during the war in Ukraine.
The administration believes that threatening Russia's control of Crimea could improve Kiev's position in future negotiations. However, this may increase the risk of escalating the conflict, the report said on Wednesday.
It is noteworthy that the Biden administration has so far been unwilling to provide Ukraine with the long-range missiles that Kiev would need to attack Crimea, out of fear that such a move could provoke Russia and widen the conflict, according to the report.
However, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said in February that his country was not actively encouraging Ukraine to retake control of Crimea, but the decision is Kiev’s alone.
After being asked if Washington was willing to assist Ukraine in seizing Russia's Crimea, Blinken considered that this would represent a red line for Russian President Vladimir Putin that could provoke a wider response from Moscow.
