PM Orbán: Hungary struck important, favourable deal with NATO

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday that “we have struck a very important and very favourable agreement” with NATO, citing a deal under which Hungary would not participate in the Ukraine mission.

Orbán told public radio that the Peace March had been the “greatest expression of public will” in recent period and had demonstrated that “Hungary must remain an island of peace”. Peace should not come under threat from outside or inside, he said, adding that European experience had shown that “there is no peaceful life if there are migrants”. Orbán said the other threat was war.

He said there was a basic difference in opinion within NATO, with 31 of the member countries “wanting to defeat the Russians”. Since Ukraine alone is unable to achieve this, they support Ukraine, believing that there was a solution in the battlefield, Orbán said. Hungary’s position is that this was a mistake and instead of supporting either side, they should be forced to sign an immediate ceasefire, he added.

Hungary belongs among the “accepted, appreciated, loyal, and cooperative, very cooperative countries” in NATO, with 1,300 Hungarian soldiers serving in foreign missions, defence spending being above 2 percent of GDP, air police activies being carried out by Hungarian aircraft above neighbouring countries and the Baltic countries, and Hungary fulfilling NATO liaison roles in central Asian and African states, he said.

“NATO is our home,” Orbán added.

Read also:

• NATO Secretary General in Budapest – PM Orbán: We don’t have to participate in action outside NATO territory
• Foreign minister Szijjártó: NATO members view Ukraine war differently from Hungary

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