Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó briefed Rose Gottemoeller, NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, about Hungary’s defence developments at a meeting in Budapest, the ministry said on Tuesday.
Szijjártó told his negotiating partner that a comprehensive development scheme of the armed forces was under way which served not only Hungary’s security but also the strengthening of NATO, the statement showed.
Hungary Focuses on Military Improvement to Meet NATO Requirements
He said Hungary continued to participate in NATO missions beyond its powers, planning to increase its Kosovo contingent by seventy and its contribution to the Afghanistan mission by forty. Additionally, Hungary will participate in the air defence of the Baltic states for four months this year, he said.
Szijjártó told Gottemoeller that “Hungary will not sacrifice the ethnic Hungarian community in Transcarpathia in any geopolitical relation and expects Ukraine to respect the rights of ethnic Hungarians living there.”
Gottemoeller participated in a meeting of ambassadors organised by the ministry and also held talks with Defence Minister Tibor Benkő.