Hungary says it won’t block Nato support for Ukraine, after getting opt-out deal

BUDAPEST – Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban agreed on June 12 that Budapest would not block plans for the US-led military alliance to play a bigger role in coordinating arms deliveries to Ukraine.

In return, the Hungarian leader was given a guarantee that his country would not be obliged to contribute to an initiative for Nato to take over the role of overseeing arms supplies and training for Kyiv’s forces from the United States.

Mr Stoltenberg said the deal cleared the way for Nato defence ministers to approve the proposal at a two-day meeting in Brussels that started on June 12, ahead of a summit of alliance leaders in Washington in July.

Hungary has objected to the push to get Nato involved in weapons supplies, claiming it could drag the alliance into the war with Russia. It has already refused to supply arms to Ukraine.

As Moscow’s closest EU ally despite its invasion of Ukraine, Mr Orban is increasingly stoking fears of a war between the West and Russia, which he blames on Brussels and Nato.

The nationalist Premier recently also suggested that he would like to redefine the position of Hungary in the alliance to prevent any participation in operations “outside Nato territory”.

On June 12, the two men agreed on a way forward, including Hungary not blocking efforts by Mr Stoltenberg to get Nato members to pledge to keep supplying at least support worth €40 billion (S$58.3 billion) a year to Ukraine for as long as it takes.

“What the Prime Minister and I have agreed today is that Hungary will not block other allies to agree a pledge for financial support to Ukraine and the leading role for Nato in coordinating support to Ukraine,” Mr Stoltenberg told reporters at a joint news conference with Mr Orban following their meeting in Budapest.

Mr Orban hailed “a difficult but constructive negotiation” with Mr Stoltenberg.

“Today, we received guarantees that in the case of the Russia-Ukraine war, Hungary will not have to participate in military actions outside its territory,” Mr Orban told reporters at the joint news conference.

“Hungary will neither contribute money nor send people to this war, nor will Hungarian territory be used for involvement in this war,” he added.

However, Mr Orban warned that the “challenging period is not over”, vowing to keep advocating for “decisions that align with Hungary’s interests” after the Nato summit.

Increasing frustration

Diplomats from some Nato countries have expressed scepticism about granting Mr Orban a formal opt-out, arguing that it would set a bad precedent inside the alliance.

Some diplomats have been getting increasingly frustrated with Budapest – one of the Nato countries friendliest to Moscow.

One diplomat said that in recent months especially, Hungary’s opposition had become a growing issue inside the US-led alliance.

Nato has so far avoided being directly involved in arms deliveries to Ukraine for fear it would move it closer to conflict with Russia.

Instead, it has left it to Kyiv’s main backer, the US, to coordinate arms sent by alliance members.

Officials and diplomats say the reason for Nato to take more of a role now is to try to ensure that weapons deliveries could continue even if US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump were elected, and he pulled the plug on American support. AFP