Hungary stands for promoting peace in Ukraine and working towards a ceasefire rather than sending lethal aid to the country, Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said on Thursday. After attending a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels, Szalay-Bobrovniczky told Hungarian journalists that all ministers had condemned the Russian aggression in Ukraine and were in agreement about the need to continue strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities.
At the meeting, it was confirmed that Finland and Sweden would join the alliance, whose eastern borders would expand by 1,300kms, he noted.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky said Hungary was making every effort to stay out of the war in Ukraine, and the Hungarian army stood as a guarantee that Hungary would not become a part of the war in Ukraine. In response to the economic crisis which has developed as a result of the Ukraine war, the Hungarian government has set aside reserves for protecting caps on utility bills and its security, and this will finance, among others, army development, he added.
Hungary is among the well-performing countries when it comes to meeting the target to increase defence spending to 2% of GDP by 2024. Hungary will fulfil the target in 2023, he added. This will help Hungary to carry developing its armed forces and to participate in all activities that result from its obligations arising from NATO membership, he added. Szalay-Bobrovniczky also noted that on the sidelines of the meeting, Hungary handed over the rotating presidency of the Visegrad Group to Slovakia at a ceremony attended by British Defense Minister Ben Wallace.