Katalin Novák in Ukraine – Kiev – Beregszász – Csepe  

The President of Hungary received an invitation from President of Ukraine Volodymir Zelensky to participate in the Grain from Ukraine initiative.

The goal of the humanitarian programme, launched on the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, the great famine, is to deliver Ukrainian food to the African and Asian countries most affected by hunger. In addition to President Katalin Novák and President Volodymir Zelensky, the summit held in Kiev was also attended by Prime Minister Mateus Morawiecki of Poland, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonydte of Lithuania and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo of Belgium.

At the press meeting following the summit Katalin Novák stressed that as the president of a country neighbouring on Ukraine, peace and stability are fundamentally important to her. „Securing the food supply chain, and thus enabling the smooth flow of goods, is not a dry free trade or market economy issue, but a life-or-death choice." – the President of Hungary said. 

The President believes that the tragedy of the Holodomor reminds everyone that even today, there are people, men, women and especially children who are threatened by hunger. "We Hungarians are there when humanitarian aid is needed.” Katalin Novák pointed out that Hungary finances the shipment of 10 thousand tons of grain to Africa and also helps with logistics.
Katalin Novák emphasized that the war in Ukraine is the most urgent and important challenge in the region.

The President’s position is that the parties must return to the negotiating table, the channels of diplomacy must be opened up, and just peace must be the final goal.
She recalled her condemnation of Russian aggression against independent Ukraine from the outset. We all have a duty to help the victims and those in need, she said, adding that the largest humanitarian programme in Hungary's history, launched to help Ukraine, Ukrainian people and families, is still under way and has resulted in an unprecedented social solidarity.

The President of Hungary expressed her hope that while 2022 was a year of war, 2023 will be the year of peace. 

From Kiev, Katalin Novák travelled to Transcarpathia, where she attended the church service in Beregszász preceding the Advent candle-lighting.
In her speech given in the church, the President stressed: „War may devastate buildings, war may destroy roads, war may cut off the water supply, war may take lives, but even war cannot destroy love.”

The President then visited the Ferenc Rákóczi II Hungarian Collage of Transcarpathia and met with the representatives of the Association of Hungarian Large Families of Transcarpathia. Next, she travelled to the Tulip School in Csepe, where she attended the school inauguration ceremony. The President stressed: the Hungarians of Transcarpathia must be able to thrive in their homeland, including to live their Hungarian identity and to preserve their mother tongue. She added: the Tulip School is a place where the traditions of Hungarian culture can be handed down to the next generations.

Katalin Novák believes that this new institution is proof that there will be a peaceful Hungarian future in Transcarpathia.