Hungarian Officials Skip NATO Meeting in Own Capital Amid Frequent Russian Visits

Hungarian officials have ignored an invitation to join a meeting of NATO officials in Budapest to discuss Hungary's policy of encouraging ties with Russia and China, Politico reports.

The meeting took place on Wednesday, 30 October.

‘We appreciate the opportunity to discuss Hungary's new policy with our allies. The fact that a discussion of an ally's ‘neutrality’ policy was necessary speaks for itself,’ commented US Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman.

A NATO diplomat, speaking to Politico on condition of anonymity, said Hungary's recent actions and rhetoric are ‘very concerning.’

Wednesday's meeting ‘would have been a useful opportunity for Hungary to explain itself to its allies, but they were absent from the discussion,’ the source added.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been actively promoting the concept of ‘economic neutrality’, which implies ‘a departure from the traditional Western orientation’. He and his officials have travelled to Russia and met with Putin and Sergey Lavrov.

Earlier this year, Orban said Hungary wanted to ‘rethink’ its status in NATO because of the Alliance's support for Ukraine.

According to media reports, concerns about the Hungarian government's stance on the North Atlantic Alliance have led NATO to limit the exchange of information, including intelligence, with Hungary.