Orban: Hungary will not block NATO support for Ukraine

(Patria) - Hungary will not block NATO decisions on supporting Ukraine, but has decided not to participate in it.

This was stated yesterday by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a visit to Budapest by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Hungary is at odds with NATO member states because Orban maintains close ties with Russia and does not want to send weapons to Ukraine.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto last month described plans to help Ukraine as a "crazy mission."

- Hungary made it clear today that it will not block NATO decisions which, although they differ from our rational assessment of the situation, are shared and advocated by the rest of the Alliance - Orban said at yesterday's press conference.

He stressed that he received guarantees from Stoltenberg that Hungary will not have to provide money for Ukraine, nor send its soldiers.

Western countries are considering the possibility of training soldiers in Ukraine, but NATO emphasizes that it does not want to directly interfere in the conflict.

Budapest has previously blocked aid to Ukraine, and tensions flared at a recent meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Stoltenberg's visit to Budapest comes a day after a summit of leaders of NATO's eastern flank in Riga. Hungary was not present.

The meeting was part of preparations for the NATO summit in Washington in July, where an agreement on 40 billion euros in annual aid to Ukraine is expected.

- The Prime Minister and I agreed today that Hungary will not block other allies from agreeing on financial aid to Ukraine and NATO's leading role in coordinating aid to Ukraine.

I am confident that when NATO leaders meet in Washington, we will be able to finalize an agreement on these issues - Stoltenberg said.