Hungary and NATO Agree on Aid to Ukraine

Hungary will not veto NATO’s decisions to provide assistance to Kyiv, but will not take part in its implementation. Budapest will not hinder NATO’s decisions to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but will not take part in its implementation. This became known after talks between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the Alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary: “Hungary has made it clear that it does not want and cannot change the decision of 31 other Alliance member states. And we are pleased that NATO, represented by the Secretary General, has taken note that Hungary intends to make full use of the room for maneuver provided for the country in the NATO Charter.” According to Stoltenberg, during the meeting with Orban, a mechanism was agreed upon in which the alliance would not use Hungary’s resources to help Kyiv. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General: “Prime Minister Orban has made it clear that Hungary will not participate in these NATO efforts, and I accept this position. I am pleased that today the Prime Minister and I have agreed on terms regarding Hungary’s non-participation in NATO’s support for Ukraine. No Hungarian personnel will take part in this endeavor and Hungarian financial resources will not be used to support it.” Earlier, the mass media reported that the Bucharest Nine (a group of countries from Central and Eastern Europe that are members of NATO) was considering excluding Hungary because of its position on Ukraine. This was not mentioned at the press conference of Orban and Stoltenberg.