Hungary has opposed Ukraine aid in the EU as well.
Hungary opts out of NATO support for Ukraine.
Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg met the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán on Wednesday in Budapest.
According to Stoltenberg, Hungary will continue to be committed to NATO and its obligations.
In the future, however, it will not participate in supporting Ukraine, such as training Ukrainian soldiers or financial aid, and will not send personnel to support Ukraine.
-Viktor Orban has made it clear that Hungary will not participate in these NATO efforts. I said I would accept this, Stoltenberg told the media in Brussels.
However, Hungary is not going to prevent others from making decisions in support of Ukraine. In general, NATO makes decisions by consensus, i.e. based on a common vision.
US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said that the solution is not exceptional, as not all countries have previously participated in all of NATO’s tasks.
According to diplomatic sources, it is good that Hungary does not prevent others from making decisions, but Hungary’s participation would still be desirable.
NATO plans to take a bigger role in supporting Ukraine. During the spring, Secretary General Stoltenberg has planned for NATO to coordinate military and financial aid to Ukraine, and to agree on joint multi-year support.
Then aid would go to Ukraine more evenly. Now there have been interruptions and delays.
At the same time, the long-term support is meant to be a message to Russia that NATO does not tire of supporting Ukraine. Stoltenberg hopes this will lead to peace in Ukraine.
NATO defense ministers will start an extraordinary meeting in Brussels on Thursday and try to agree on long-term support for Ukraine.
Hungary has also opposed the long-time prime minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutten election as the new Secretary General of NATO.
Hungary has slowed down and blocked Ukraine’s support in the EU as well. It has opposed using the proceeds of Russia’s frozen funds to support Ukraine. It also made it difficult to approve the EU’s 50 billion aid package.