Conflict between NATO & Russia will lead to 3rd World War, says Hungary's foreign minister

After a meeting with Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO, in Brussels on Tuesday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto issued a warning to member countries of the alliance to refrain from getting involved in a direct confrontation with Russia. 

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote in a Facebook post that under the current agreement, NATO is not involved in the conflict in their region and a direct confrontation between the military alliance and Russia could potentially trigger another world war. 

"According to the current arrangement, NATO is not engaged in the war in our vicinity. This is how it is now. A direct conflict between NATO and Russia would lead to another world war," he wrote, as per TASS. 

In the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, Hungary's government declared that it would not provide military support to Kiev, and instead urged for peaceful resolution to the issue. During a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reaffirmed his country's stance and stated that Hungary will not contribute to the joint financing of ammunition supplies for the Ukrainian army.

A look at Hungary's complicated ties with NATO

Hungary has been a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since 1999, and the alliance has been a cornerstone of the country's security policy since the end of the Cold War. Hungary is one of NATO's newer members, and it has participated in many of the alliance's missions and operations.

Despite its membership in NATO, Hungary's relationship with the alliance has been somewhat complicated in recent years. The country has become increasingly vocal in its criticism of some of NATO's policies, particularly its approach to Russia. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has advocated for a more conciliatory approach to Moscow, arguing that sanctions and other punitive measures only serve to exacerbate tensions and create new sources of conflict.

Additionally, Hungary's relations with other NATO members have been strained over issues related to democracy and human rights. The country has been criticized for its treatment of refugees and migrants, as well as for its crackdown on the media and other civil society organisations.

Hungary has also been accused of cozying up to Russia in recent years, despite its membership in NATO. The country has expressed support for Russian energy projects, such as the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and has maintained close ties with Moscow on a number of other issues.