In a significant development, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced that Hungary will not obstruct NATO decisions regarding Ukraine, though it will refrain from supporting Ukraine.
This agreement was reached during discussions with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Budapest.
The information was disclosed by Orban during a joint press conference with Stoltenberg. The two leaders reviewed the state of relations between Hungary and NATO.
Prime Minister Orban highlighted that Hungary’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict differs from that of most NATO member states. He expressed gratitude to Stoltenberg for allowing Budapest to maintain and voice its divergent opinion.
“Hungary has made it clear that it does not intend to block any NATO decisions that may differ from our analysis of the situation. Our focus during today’s meeting was on ensuring that any operations outside NATO remain voluntary, and Hungary has received the guarantees it required,” Orban stated.
He added that this agreement aligns with the mandate given by the Hungarian public in the European Parliament elections, which directed the government not to participate in the conflict.
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg confirmed that both he and Orban had approved the terms for Hungary’s non-participation in NATO’s support for Ukraine, which the Alliance plans to provide in the future. Stoltenberg acknowledged Hungary’s decision not to involve its personnel or financial resources in these efforts.
“None of the Hungarian personnel will partake in this activity, and no Hungarian finances will be used to support it. However, Prime Minister Orban assured me that Hungary will not oppose these efforts and will allow other allies to move forward,” Stoltenberg stated.
In May, Orban indicated that Hungary was considering “re-evaluating” its NATO membership status to potentially avoid involvement in future operations beyond the Alliance’s borders and in NATO’s increased support for Ukraine.
Image: NATO
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