Hungary has firmly declined to participate in a new European Union (EU) military training initiative aimed at supporting Ukraine.
Declined to Participate
The decision stems from concerns regarding the escalation of the ongoing conflict, particularly the proposal to send military advisers to Ukraine for coordination tasks, which Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto described as "extremely dangerous."
In 2022, the EU began training Ukrainian soldiers on the territory of its member states. At that time, Hungary opted not to provide soldiers or funding for this initiative and rejected any training missions on its soil, according to Hotnews.
Szijjarto emphasized that Hungary did not attempt to prevent other EU nations from participating in the training.
Review Military Advising Mission
Currently, with Hungary holding the rotating presidency of the EU Council, Szijjarto has requested a review of the proposed military advisory mission, expressing that it poses risks not only to Ukraine but also to Hungary. He pointed out that the escalation of conflict tends to occur in neighboring regions rather than far away.
Hungary is not alone in its reservations. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has also refused to allow Croatian soldiers to join the NATO mission supporting Ukraine, citing concerns that the conflict could spread to Croatia itself.
This stance contrasts sharply with the military support package agreed upon at the NATO summit in July, which established the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) to coordinate military aid and training for Ukraine.
The NSATU aims to bolster Ukraine’s defense and security forces, facilitating their integration with NATO standards.
