Hungary has decided not to participate in NATO’s long-term plan to support Ukraine, calling it a “crazy mission,” despite facing pressure to join. This decision was announced by Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who emphasized that Hungary will stand aside from the initiative.
The decision comes after NATO allies agreed in April to establish a $107 billion fund for a long-term military support plan for Ukraine against Russia’s military campaign. This plan involves NATO taking over coordination work from the US-led Ramstein group. However, the Hungarian government spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, expressed opposition to NATO’s initiative, stating that Budapest does not support proposals that could potentially bring the alliance closer to conflict or transition it from a defensive to an offensive stance.
This disagreement has further strained relations between Hungary and NATO. Tensions have been exacerbated by Hungary’s delay in ratifying Sweden’s accession to NATO and Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s strong ties to Russia. These issues have led to warnings from NATO about the risks of Hungary’s close relationship with Moscow, with concerns about how this may impact Hungary’s security interests moving forward.