NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, visiting Budapest this Wednesday, June 12, announced that he had reached an agreement with Hungary so that it would not hinder the efforts of the Atlantic Alliance to consolidate the aid to Ukraine.
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“ The Prime Minister, Viktor Orbanand I have agreed that the Hungary would not prevent other allies from committing to financially support theUkraine and theNATOto play a leading role in the coordination “. This is what Jens Stoltenberg declared during a press conference. Ahead of a summit planned in Washington in July, the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance is preparing a plan to strengthen the organization’s role in coordinating arms deliveries to kyiv and training Ukrainian troops. Jens Stoltenberg also wants to sustain current aid to Ukraine, at a minimum level of 40 billion euros per year.
NATO Defense Ministers are meeting this Thursday, June 13 in Brussels to try to seal the final agreement. The support of other countries seems to have been achieved, even if technical details remain to be finalized. In exchange, Hungary has “owas guaranteed that she would not be obliged to participate » to NATO’s efforts. Details provided by Viktor Orban, who mentioned “ a difficult, but constructive discussion “. According to him, the country “ cannot change the decisions of the other 31 member states “, but he ” will not contribute financially and will not send any man to fight this war “, the head of NATO saying ” accept this position “.
A “non-aggression” pact between Orban and NATO
Viktor Orban has refused since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine to send any military aid to kyiv and has recently toughened his speech, accusing NATO of training its members ” in a global conflagration “. According to diplomatic sources, Hungary thus benefits from a sort of “ right of withdrawal “. But some do not hide their skepticism, judging that this creates a precedent in the Atlantic Alliance.
The nationalist leader, who regularly blocks military aid to kyiv within the EU, has also become a thorn in the side of NATO, “ especially in recent months “. This is what a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity notes, against a backdrop of growing frustration among Alliance members. Viktor Orban warned against further debates and moments “ difficult ”, promising to continue to defend “ Hungarian interests ” in the future.
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Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, NATO has been careful to avoid any direct involvement, leaving Washington, kyiv’s main supporter, to coordinate the delivery of weapons supplied by Ukraine’s allies. But she now wants to change gear, for fear of a return of Donald Trump to the White House. Another contentious subject is the appointment of the outgoing Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, to succeed Jens Stoltenberg in the fall. Hungary opposes it and supports the only other candidate, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, currently under pressure from the United States to withdraw from the race.
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