NATO Summit: Orban urged to stop sending weapons to Ukraine and start negotiations

The Hungarian Prime Minister argued that tens of thousands of ethnic Hungarians who are "in direct danger" live in Transcarpathia. Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Vilnius said that the most important issue of NATO's two-day summit is the war between Russia and Ukraine. In this regard, he urged to stop supplying the weapons to Ukraine and instead start peace talks as soon as possible. The video of the Hungarian leader's address was posted on July 11 on Facebook.

Orban argued that the war goes next to Hungary, where tens of thousands of ethnic Hungarians live, in particular in Transcarpathia. "The point of view of Hungary has realized, because the war goes next to us, and tens of thousands of Hungarians living in Transcarpathia are in direct danger," the Prime Minister said.

He added that Hungary does not change its former position because the union is a military-defense and was created to protect its Member States, not to conduct hostilities in other countries. The position of Hungary now, at the beginning of the negotiations, is fully consistent with the position of NATO, since NATO does not send troops, does not send weapons, does not teach military personnel, but seeks to strengthen the defense of its Member States, the politician said.

"Instead of sending weapons to Ukraine, we must bear peace. We need to stop fire, and instead of war, peace talks as soon as possible," the Prime Minister said. Recall that French President Emmanuel Macron on July 11 at the opening of the NATO summit in Vilnius stated that he decided to increase the supply of weapons and equipment to Ukraine. He did not specify what kind of weapons it was, but noted that with his help the Ukrainian army would be able to make "deep blows".