Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on social media platform X that Hungary is ready to support outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s bid for NATO Secretary General after talks in Brussels on Monday.
At the talks, Rutte pledged support to a deal between Hungary and incumbent Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the country staying away from NATO’s activities in Ukraine, PM Orbán tweeted. Earlier in June, PM Orbán and Stoltenberg agreed that Hungary would not be obliged to participate in military actions outside its territory, nor would it need to send money or troops to the war in Ukraine. “Following the recent European elections, where Hungarians voted in huge numbers in favor of peace, we reached an important agreement,” PM Orbán said. “We agreed that no Hungarian personnel will participate in the activities of NATO in Ukraine and no Hungarian funds will be used to support them”. “Our next step this week was to ensure that this agreement can stand the test of time,” the prime minister said. “After yesterday’s meeting in Brussels, PM Mark Rutte confirmed that he fully supports this deal and will continue to do so, should he become the next Secretary General of NATO,” PM Orbán said, adding that Rutte had also pledged “to treat all Allies with the same level of understanding and respect”.