Hungary agrees not to block NATO aid to Ukraine

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg struck the deal on Wednesday after a day of “difficult” negotiations, News.Az reports citing AP.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg accepted Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán’s “clear” decision not to participate in the alliance’s defence of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the alliance's chief said on Wednesday.

However, the Central European country pledged not to block other nations from financially supporting Ukraine, according to Stoltenberg.

“I expect our allies will agree a leading role for NATO (in) coordinating and providing security assistance and training for Ukraine. I also expect allies will agree (on a) long-term financial pledge to provide military support. This will provide the predictability and accountability that Ukraine needs,” the NATO top boss told a room full of reporters in Budapest.

“Prime Minister Orbán has made it clear that Hungary will not participate in these NATO efforts, and I accept this position.”

Stoltenberg said in exchange for Hungary’s non-participation, Orbán had guaranteed that the country would not “block other allies” with its veto powers from an agreement being reached to pledge financial support for Ukraine.

"The prime minister has assured me that Hungary will not oppose these efforts, enabling other allies to move forward, and he has confirmed that Hungary will continue to meet its NATO commitments in full,” he added.

The 32-member alliance takes all its decisions by consensus, effectively giving any one of the allies a veto.

News.Az