Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has accused NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte of “fueling war tensions” by suggesting that Russia could launch an attack on the alliance within several years.
Szijjarto criticized Rutte’s recent remarks, in which he stated that NATO members are “Russia’s next target” and urged rapid increases in military spending. Rutte also claimed that Moscow “could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.”
In a Facebook post, Szijjarto labeled Rutte’s comments as “wild things,” stating the remarks convinced those with doubts about “whether everyone in Brussels had really lost their minds.” He added that Rutte’s statements signaled that “everyone in Brussels has lined up against [U.S. President] Donald Trump’s peace efforts” and that the NATO chief had “practically stabbed the peace talks in the back.”
Szijjarto declared: “We, Hungarians, as members of NATO, reject the Secretary General’s words! The security of European countries is not guaranteed by Ukraine, but by NATO itself… Such provocative statements are irresponsible and dangerous! We call on Mark Rutte to stop fueling war tensions!”
The Hungarian foreign minister has repeatedly distanced Hungary from many EU and NATO partners over its stance on Ukraine. He argues that additional weapons deliveries to Kiev only prolong the conflict and has consistently advocated for direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations while condemning Western sanctions against Russia as harmful to the European economy.
Moscow has dismissed Western concerns about a potential Russian attack on NATO as “nonsense,” insisting such speculation is used by the bloc to justify military buildup and militarization.
