The NATO member most aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to alter its membership in the Western military alliance so that it can avoid aiding Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion.
Viktor Orbán, the prime minister of Hungary, told state radio on Friday that “our lawyers and officers are hard at work to see how Hungary can maintain its NATO membership in a way that it wouldn’t have to take part in NATO actions outside NATO territory,” Bloomberg reported.
Orbán said that military officials and lawyers in the country are trying to find ways to allow Hungary to act differently from other alliance members.
He said that allowing Hungary to formally opt out of NATO discussions about potentially expanding the alliance’s role in the current conflict in Ukraine would result in a new kind of NATO membership.
It would “redefine” Hungary’s membership, he said.
Hungary blocks support for Ukraine
Hungary has sought to restrain Western and NATO support for Ukraine throughout Russia’s invasion.
It does not send weapons to Ukraine, and it spent months blocking billions in EU funds for the country before eventually allowing it to proceed in February.
In April 2022, two months after the invasion began, Orbán referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as one of his “opponents.”
Orbán said that he supports NATO’s policy of helping other members if they come under attack but did not support giving Ukraine —which is not a member — money and weaponry, as most of the alliance does.
He said that doing so could lead to more military involvement in Ukraine, including possibly sending troops, Bloomberg reported.
Orbán also said he did not agree with the views of some NATO members that Russia may invade countries on the eastern flank of the alliance, instead describing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a war between “two Slavic countries.”
Multiple European countries, including those on NATO’s eastern flank that border Russia, have warned that Russia could attack elsewhere, and they need to prepare.
NATO is backing Ukraine
NATO has been a strong supporter of Ukraine throughout the conflict.
Through the alliance, members have pledged more than $700 million in support, in addition to billions in contributions they have made individually.
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has proposed that NATO allies coordinate $100 billion for Ukraine over the next five years, but not all members seem convinced by the plan.
Stoltenberg also said that Ukraine will one day become a member of NATO, something that is strongly opposed by Russia.
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