Hungary will not allow the transit of lethal weapons to Ukraine through its territory, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Monday.

The Hungarian government, which nurtured a close relationship with the Kremlin over the past decade, has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and agreed to European sanctions. It also signed off on activating the European Peace Facility, an instrument that allows the EU to finance the purchase and delivery of weapons.

But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán — who is facing a tough parliamentary election on April 3 — has insisted over the past days that his country must “stay out” of the conflict and that Hungary itself will not supply weapons to its neighbor.

On Monday, Szijjártó explained the move to go a step further and not permit deliveries of weapons to transit through Hungarian territory as a matter of national security.

“This decision is required in order to guarantee the security of Hungary and the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia,” the minister said, referring to a region of western Ukraine that is home to Hungarian-speaking communities.

“The reason for making this decision is that such deliveries might become targets of hostile military action,” he added.

Hungary will nevertheless deliver humanitarian assistance — including food and water — to western Ukraine, the minister noted.

Szijjártó’s announcement that Hungary will not allow weapons to transit through Hungary was met with dismay among security experts.

“In case of an escalation of the war to the level of Russia attacking NATO countries, Hungary has an obligation to join NATO forces and expose itself to Russian attacks anyways,” said one former Hungarian official.

“No European country can stay low in face of this war when the future of the European security architecture is at stake,” the former official said. “If we let [Russian President Vladimir] Putin reach his goal, we risk the security of Hungary and Europe way beyond the level we do with this minimal contribution to countering this aggression.”

KingEverest:
I was asking the other day, were will the supplies the West is promising pass because Russia has almost encircled Ukraine and the capital

seankafor:
Poland bro, Poland

KingEverest:

The capital is surrounded bro and Russia owns the air space too why do you think the Hungarian minister is scared you can't help Ukraine now without direct confrontation with Russia is too late

seankafor:
yeah, even USA abstained from helping them mainten no flight zone..
Even Russia sef never mean to war Ukraine. They just want to install a new regime which will be loyal to Putin just as they have in Belarus..

If Russia mean Ukraine, ma 2hrs everywhere will turn to dust..
But that's not what Putin wants, he wants to control Ukraine, the. From there extend to other breakaway USSR nations..
And he is hellbent on doing that

KingEverest:
I was asking the other day, were will the supplies the West is promising pass because Russia has almost encircled Ukraine and the capital

GoodHardDick:
Only one man just dey shake the world like this

Omo, respect to Putin!!

ken6488:

That's where I am confused

Ukraine are just delaying their suffering