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Hungary to not participate in NATO mission in Ukraine, won’t interfere with it — Orban

At the same time, Viktor Orban pointed out that the NATO leadership does not want "Hungary to set a precedent" and other countries to take an example from it
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban Olivier Hoslet, Pool Photo via AP
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban
© Olivier Hoslet, Pool Photo via AP

BUDAPEST, June 14. /TASS/. Hungary will not take part in the NATO mission in Ukraine, but will not hinder its establishment by other countries of the alliance either, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told the Kossuth Radio.

He recalled that during talks in Budapest on June 12, Hungary received guarantees from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that the participation of alliance members in military operations outside their territory, including in Ukraine, is only on a voluntary basis. "We still do not supply weapons to Ukraine, and if there are any actions outside NATO territory, we will not participate in them," the prime minister said.

At the same time, he pointed out that the NATO leadership does not want "Hungary to set a precedent" and other countries to take an example from it. That is why the negotiations in Budapest were difficult, Orban said. "In the end we came to an agreement and got everything we wanted, but in return I agreed that we will not interfere with those who want to set up a NATO mission in Ukraine and do so at the next [alliance] summit to be held [in July] in Washington. But we will stay out of it," the prime minister said.