Hungary reaffirms NATO commitment, urges Europe to boost defence efforts

Hungary makes a notable contribution to the collective defence of its NATO allies, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the defence minister, said after a meeting of NATO counterparts in Brussels on Thursday, adding that Europe, however, “must do more”.

A ministry statement noted that Pete Hegseth, the new US Secretary of Defense, attended the meeting, and the minister stated Hungary’s “firm support” for the US administration’s position on the war in Ukraine, namely that “the bloodshed must end” and a solution to ending the war should be found as quickly as possible.

EU member states must cooperate with NATO as closely as possible on this, however, he said, adding that European NATO allies generally recognised that they must contribute more to Europe’s defence both in terms of capabilities and industrial capacity, with the right level of financing.

“Hungary, as a reliable ally, will also fulfil its NATO commitment” on defence spending this year, the minister said, noting that the country started spending more than 2 percent of its GDP on defence in 2023 and increased this level last year.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky said Hungary actively took part in implementing common defence and deterrence goals, noting that the Headquarters Multinational Division Centre (HQ MND-C) in Szekesfehervar achieved full operational capability last December, playing an important role in the command and control system of NATO’s eastern flank.

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