NATO Secretary General comments on Hungary's PM's promise concerning NATO and Ukraine

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, has stated that he discussed the decision of the forthcoming NATO Summit in Washington with Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary, during a meeting. Stoltenberg believes that Budapest will not block the decision.

Source: Stoltenberg at a press conference in Brussels on 12 June ahead of the meeting of the defence ministers of NATO member states, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Stoltenberg said he had stated at the meeting with Orbán that NATO’s goal is peace, and the Alliance "is called to prevent war, prevent conflict, but to do that by ensuring that we have a credible deterrence and by making sure that there is no room for miscalculation by Moscow or any other adversary about our ability to defend all allies".

"I’m also absolutely confident that Hungary will agree to statements that we’ll make at a NATO Summit, reflecting the core values and the core purposes of NATO," Stoltenberg believes.

He admitted, however, that "there was one particular issue" – the framework for supporting Ukraine where NATO will have a lead role in coordinating security assistance and training for Ukraine – "where there were different views".

"Orbán has made it clear that Hungary will not participate in these NATO efforts. I have stated that I accept this position," Stoltenberg commented.

He added that Budapest had promised to adhere to all commitments within NATO and continue to finance the common budget of the Alliance.

Background:

• In May, Orbán said that Hungary was "reconsidering" its NATO member status to potentially avoid participating in future operations outside the Alliance and increasing support for Ukraine from NATO’s side.
• Following the meeting with Stoltenberg, Orbán stated that they had determined the interaction format concerning the non-blocking of the decisions about Ukraine in NATO by Budapest.

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