Hungary to host the Three Seas Initiative meeting in 2025

Hungary will host the 2025 Three Seas Initiative Summit and Business Forum, President of Hungary Katalin Novák announced in Bucharest. 
Speaking at the summit of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), the Head of State said that economic cooperation in the region is important even in the shadow of the war in Ukraine, and welcomed the joint declaration and its statements on Ukraine. 

She recalled that she had visited Kyiv twice in the past year and stressed that Hungary stands by Ukraine's territorial integrity, condemns Russian aggression and considers the achievement of peace as the most important goal. 

The Three Seas Initiative was launched to promote economic links and effective connectivity within the wider region, said Katalin Novák. 
The Head of State welcomed Greece's accession to the 3SI, but said it was equally important to reach out to the Western Balkan countries through the initiative. The President of Hungary would favour a gradual opening towards the six Western Balkan countries, as the North-South connection does not end at our borders, she stressed. 

President Novák also drew attention to the importance of population growth for competitiveness, and reminded the summit participants of the forum called the Budapest Demographic Summit, which will be held on 14 and 15 September in the Hungarian capital. 

The Three Seas Initiative is a joint initiative of the 12 European Union Member States lying between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas to expand trade links in the region. The countries involved are Austria, Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Poland. The 3SI will be extended to include Greece, as agreed at the meeting. 

After her speech, Katalin Novák held a bilateral meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. In 2024, the Three Seas Initiative will be hosted by Lithuania. 

Prior to the summit, President of Hungary Katalin Novák met with Hunor Kelemen, President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ).