BUDAPEST, October 17. /TASS/. Ukraine's accession to NATO would cross the red line as it would set off the third world war, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told lawmakers.
"Ukraine's NATO membership is over the red line simply because Ukraine continues to be at war. If Ukraine joined NATO, a world war would break out," he told the Foreign Affairs Committee of the country’s parliament.
Hungary made its position on this issue clear to EU leadership and other EU member countries, according to the minister.
Szijjarto reiterated that Hungary opposes sending European military trainers to Ukraine.
"I remember from history that very often bad things started off with military advisers [from other countries] coming to the [conflict] scene, so we do not support this," the minister said.
He also reaffirmed Hungary’s opposition to extending European sanctions against Russia for a period of three years, rather than the current six months, which would enable the EU and the US to use the frozen assets of the Bank of Russia to issue a multibillion-dollar loan to Ukraine. Budapest equally disagrees with attempts to ban Russian pipeline gas supplies to Europe that take place under long-term contracts.
"We will not agree to any measures that could significantly damage Hungarian economic interests in Europe," Szijjarto stated.