Further developing Hungarian-Mongolian relations will have an important role in the government’s Eastern Opening strategy, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Friday. Péter Szijjártó spoke at a press conference held jointly with his Mongolian counterpart, Batmunkh Battsetseg, after talks in Budapest, and highlighted the traditionally friendly ties between the two countries as well as their shared cultural and historical heritage. Szijjártó noted a 51 percent increase in bilateral trade turnover this year following another record turnover in 2024. He added that bilateral trade was driven by pharmaceuticals, with Hungarian exports reaching a record high. Mongolia’s major economic reforms offer further opportunities for bilateral cooperation, Szijjártó said. The two ministers agreed to convene their countries’ mixed economic committee this year to assess how Hungarian companies could participate in farming, food production and water management projects in Mongolia, Szijjártó said. Meanwhile, Szijjártó said Hungarian universities offered 200 scholarships to Mongolian students each year, and welcomed that Mongolia’s National University has launched Hungarian language courses. Conversely, Mongolian is taught at Budapest’s ELTE university, the minister added. Peace needed in Ukraine On another subject, Szijjártó said Mongolia was also a member of the international peace camp, and both countries advocated peace and keeping communication channels open. “We have clearly been proven right in promoting peace and urging peace talks … the war in Ukraine has no solution on the battlefield,” he said. “A settlement can only be reached at the negotiating table, which requires the parties to be in communication. It is regrettable and dangerous that some governments and political leaders seek to undermine the path to peace,” Szijjártó said, adding that prolonging the war would involve “further and further deaths”. Later on Friday, the Hungarian National Theatre said in a statement that it had launched long-term cooperation with the Mongolian National Drama Theatre, “aiming to mutually enrich the two countries’ theatre culture and to deepen professional and educational ties.” The directors of the two theatres, Attila Vidnyánszky for Hungary and Naranbaatar Namnan for Mongolia, signed the relevant agreement on Friday, it said. Signatories pledged to build strong professional ties, to exchange knowledge and experience, to attend international events together and support student exchange. The cooperation’s flagship production will be a piece called “Attila”, to be staged in 2027, the statement said.

Published Date:2025-04-28