Hungarian PM urges West to take Putin's recent statement seriously amid Ukraine war

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called on Western nations to take seriously a recent statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he confirmed the use of Russia's new intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

He noted that public communication in different countries is carried out in different ways.
"But if the Russian president says something in his country, it is not just empty noise. It is not a communication tactic," the prime minister said. He recalled that Russia has "one of the most powerful armies in the world, which boasts the most advanced, most powerful weapons," News.Az reports, citing Russian media.

In addition, Russia has revised its nuclear doctrine, the prime minister said.

In this context, he emphasized that those countries supplying military assistance to Ukraine should be cautious. "It is necessary to act with common sense; otherwise, problems may arise," Orban warned.

He added that when Russia "changes the rules of engagement of nuclear weapons, it is not a communication ploy, it is not a trick, and it will have consequences." In his televised speech, Putin also said that Russia considers itself entitled to use weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow the use of their weapons against Russian facilities, Orban recalled. If Russia "says something on this topic, this is exactly how it should be perceived," the prime minister said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a televised address to the nation on November 21, announcing that in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia, Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time.

News.Az