Hungary 'redefining' being NATO member amid Ukraine aid block: Orban
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Despite Hungary's growing isolation within the alliance due to its stance on Ukraine, Orban refuses to relent.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during a press conference with his Sweden counterpart Ulf Kristersson at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, on February 23, 2024. (AP)
Speaking to national radio on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban confirmed his intention to "redefine" the terms of NATO membership as a result of his opposition to aiding Ukraine.
"Our lawyers and officers are working [to define] how Hungary can exist as a Nato member without taking part in Nato operations outside Nato territory," Orban said, noting, "There have not been many situations in the history of NATO when a member state would stick to the basic idea of Nato as openly and clearly as Hungary does now, and therefore . . . its position within the military alliance would have to be redefined."
Despite Hungary's growing isolation within the alliance due to its stance on Ukraine, Orban refuses to relent.
"It is as if everyone is already in a different future. They simply refuse to consider these arguments beyond a polite hearing... And war planning is going on."
Read more: Deploying Western troops in Ukraine risks World War III: Hungary
He added that Hungary previously declared this in advance and that they "do not want to participate in financial or armament support, not even within the framework of NATO. Therefore, our situation is a strange ‘we are there, but we are not’ situation. I don’t know how long this can be maintained."
Before the big meeting
He said Hungary is deemed a "non-participant" country, but it aims to draw a clearer definition.
“If we were to opt out, our participation in NATO’s military structure and our situation would also change,” he concluded.
Orban's comments come six weeks before NATO’s annual summit in Washington where the alliance is expected to discuss fresh long-term support strategy for Ukraine against Russia.
Last month, Hungary, as confirmed by Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, rejected the EU's plan to hand member states two billion euros ($2.1 billion) for delivering weapons to Ukraine because Kiev has not provided guarantees that Hungarian companies would not be on "black list".
Belgium wants to give member countries 1.5 billion euros from the European Peace Fund for the weapons they supplied to Kiev in addition to the 500 million euros in the European Union's macro-financial aid for Ukraine which Hungary has been blocking for almost a year.
As broadcast by M1 TV channel, he told reporters, "Hungary’s position is unchanged. Until we receive guarantees that Ukraine will not stop 'the witch hunt' against Hungarian enterprises, we will not agree to such a proposal," adding that EU foreign and defense ministers unanimously admit the frontline situation has become a critical stage.
