Riga –Three Seas Initiative Summit

Hungary’s head of state arrived in Riga at the invitation of Latvia’s President Egils Levits on 20 June 2022 to attend the Three Seas Initiative Forum. 

Launched in 2015, the Three Seas Initiative aims to ensure that Europe's existing east-west transport and energy infrastructure is complemented by north-south routes as soon as possible.

The summit was attended by the President of Hungary, the Presidents of Germany, Poland, Austria, Slovenia, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania and Bulgaria, the Prime Minister of Croatia and the President of the Czech Senate, and the President of Ukraine joined by video.

At the 12-country initiative's summit in Latvia, Katalin Novák highlighted three issues that are important for Hungary and the Hungarian people. Peace must be established in Ukraine as soon as possible; the Hungarian people are in favour of peace. The second is that the interests of landlocked countries must be seriously considered when negotiating energy supplies. Finally, that Hungary supports providing EU candidate status to Ukraine and the West Balkan countries at the soonest possible date.

Katalin Novák said that at the Riga Summit, she spoke of peace. She highlighted: „This war is not our war, but this war is also fought against us peace-loving people. We stand with the innocent victims and with the truth".

In Riga, Katalin Novák discussed the role of families and traditional family ties with Latvia’s President of the Republic Egils Levits. The meeting was followed by bilateral talks with the Bulgarian and Czech heads of state.