In a definitive statement to RIA Novosti, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto declared Hungary's staunch refusal to engage in the provision of arms to Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia.
"Hungary has never taken part, nor will it ever take part, in activities aimed at delivering arms to Ukraine. We firmly believe that escalating arms deliveries to Ukraine will only prolong the conflict, leading to further destruction and loss of life," Szijjarto remarked on Friday.
The Foreign Minister highlighted that a key stipulation for Hungary's approval of the European Union's proposal to allocate 50 billion euros in aid to Ukraine was the assurance that these funds would not be used for weapon deliveries.
Szijjarto further elaborated that Budapest has secured commitments from Brussels ensuring that Hungarian contributions, currently withheld by the EU, would not be redirected to Ukraine.
Additionally, a transparent mechanism for monitoring the expenditure of the funds directed to Ukraine is to be established.
This announcement comes in the wake of the European Union's leaders agreeing in February to allocate 50 billion euros in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine through to 2027.
The EU's financial aid to Ukraine in the previous year totalled 18 billion euros, disbursed in monthly installments of 1.5 billion euros. This support was extended to Kyiv irrespective of progress in implementing reforms or combating corruption.
