FM: Government calls on EU to place 3 Ukrainian military leaders on sanctions list

Speaking in connection with the Hungarian-Ukrainian conscript who recently died, Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the government has called on the European Union to place three Ukrainian military leaders responsible for forced conscription on the bloc’s sanctions list.

Minister Szijjártó said the Council of Europe had confirmed that “a real manhunt” was taking place on the streets of Ukraine, and its human rights report said people evading conscription were “sometimes beaten and tortured”.

Referring to videos made public in recent months, he said it was “horrifying” how Ukrainian army recruiters treated people, “and it is equally horrifying how European political leaders turn a blind eye to this intolerable situation.”

He added that those responsible “must be found … [and] punished”.

“We demand that three people serving in the Ukrainian defence ministry and the army leadership who are responsible for forced conscription be held accountable,” Minister Szijjártó said.