Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he demands respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, just as Ukraine respects the sovereignty of other states.
"I'll defend Ukrainian citizens wherever they are – in the east and in the west... Defending Ukrainian citizens, I defend the sovereignty of our state. We respect the sovereignty of other states and demand the same respect for Ukraine," the presidential press service quoted Poroshenko as saying during a working visit to Kharkiv region on September 29.
Read alsoSBU probing into issue of Hungarian passports to Ukrainian citizens in Zakarpattia
The president reminded that Ukraine's Foreign Ministry had made a statement regarding the issuance of Hungarian passports to the residents of Zakarpattia.
"I totally agree with every letter that the Foreign Ministry says," he added.
As UNIAN reported earlier, a video was posted on social media showing the consulate of Hungary in Berehove reportedly issuing Hungarian passports to citizens of Ukraine.
People caught on the video repeat the oath on the background of the Hungarian flag. After that, they receive instructions from Hungarian diplomats: "You must conceal the fact of obtaining Hungarian citizenship from the Ukrainian authorities."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said the issuance of Hungarian passports to citizens of Ukraine in Zakarpattia region contradicts the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Klimkin called on Hungary to take action after the publication of the video. On September 19, he did not exclude the possible expulsion of the Hungarian Consul in Berehove.
On September 26, Klimkin had a meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in New York on the sidelines of the session of the United Nations General Assembly. However, they did not agree on a common position regarding the granting of Hungarian citizenship to Ukrainians in Zakarpattia. Klimkin again invited his Hungarian counterpart to withdraw the Hungarian Consul from Berehove in the coming days, otherwise Ukraine would expel him.
Ukraine's SBU Security Service in Zakarpattia region has opened criminal proceedings under Part 1 of Article 111 (high treason) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine to probe into the issue of Hungarian passports to Ukrainian citizens in Zakarpattia.
