Hungary Accuses NATO Chief of “Fueling War Tensions”

By Staff, Agencies

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has sharply criticized NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for warning that Russia could be ready to attack the alliance within several years.

Szijjarto called the remarks “irresponsible” and accused Rutte of escalating fear and undermining efforts aimed at de-escalation.

Rutte said on Thursday that “we are Russia’s next target,” urging NATO members to accelerate military spending and claiming Moscow could be prepared to use force against the bloc within five years.

Szijjarto responded in a Facebook post, saying Rutte was “saying wild things,” and argued the comments proved that “everyone in Brussels had really lost their minds.”

He said Rutte’s statements amounted to “stabbing peace talks in the back,” claiming they were aimed at countering former US President Donald Trump’s efforts to pursue negotiations.

Szijjarto stressed that Hungary, as a NATO member, “rejects the Secretary General’s words,” arguing that European security depends on NATO’s collective defense, not on Ukraine’s battlefield performance.

He labeled the remarks “provocative, irresponsible and dangerous,” calling on Rutte to “stop fueling war tensions.”

Hungary has frequently broken with EU and NATO partners over Ukraine, insisting that additional weapons to Kiev only prolong the conflict.

Budapest continues to call for Russia-Ukraine negotiations and has opposed EU sanctions on Moscow, saying they harm Europe’s economy.

It has also rejected EU plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, calling such measures illegal.

Moscow has repeatedly dismissed claims that it intends to attack NATO, calling them “nonsense,” and argues the bloc is using the alleged “Russian threat” to justify large-scale militarization.