Hungary's stand: No part in NATO's 'crossing red lines' on Ukraine

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó has criticized NATO for "crossing red lines on Ukraine," stating that Hungary will not engage in these actions.

Szijjártó, who recently attended a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, argues that the Alliance has avoided direct involvement in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and confrontation with Russia. However, he believes the decisions made in Brussels are inching the Alliance closer to war.

At the meeting in Brussels, the Hungarian Foreign Minister affirmed that Hungary will refrain from participating in tasks that stem from NATO's heightened coordination role and will not contribute financially. "No actions taking place on Hungarian soil should stem from NATO's escalated coordination role in training and arms transfers," Szijjártó stated on Wednesday.

In an interview with Index, Szijjártó also clarified that Budapest is against creating a €100 billion fund for Ukraine, which NATO members would finance in proportion to their GDP. He further pointed out that Western arms supplies have not led to success for Ukraine on the battlefield. "It's unknown what the outcome would have been if Ukraine hadn't received any weapons. Perhaps peace might have been brokered by now," he speculated.

Szijjártó indicates that some of the most eager Alliance members wish to invite Ukraine to join NATO at the July summit in Washington. However, with many countries in opposition, a "substitute action" of enhancing NATO's coordination role has been proposed as a consolation.

"Over the past two years, NATO has taken a series of decisions and steps that suggest it's moving away from its original mission as a defensive alliance, seemingly transforming into an offensive one. This is directly against the NATO charter and the intentions of its founders," the Hungarian politician remarked.

He acknowledged that Article 5 would need to be activated should any of the Alliance's countries face a Russian attack.