Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary will not be obliged to participate in military actions outside its territory or send money or troops to Ukraine.
After meeting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, PM Orbán said Hungary is a “loyal and committed member” of NATO, noting that the country currently had 1,300 troops participating in NATO missions. He added that Hungary was “one of the not too many countries” that performed “all their commitments” to NATO with its defence spending exceeding 2% of GDP and the country “also meeting the 20% capability development goal”. PM Orbán praised Stoltenberg as a NATO leader highly appreciated in Hungary, adding that under his leadership cooperation between Hungary and NATO had strengthened. PM Orbán said he acknowledged “the significant weight and number” of positions differing from Hungary’s on the war. He said he had made it clear during the talks that Hungary would not block NATO decisions “which could differ from the rational decisions based on our assessment of the situation but which other member states share and support”. Hungary has received the required guarantees from Stoltenberg that “any military operation outside the organisation’s territory can only be performed on a voluntary basis,” PM Orbán said.