The Hungarian Government is committed to gradually increasing defence spending as well as to implementing the Readiness Action Plan accepted at the NATO Summit in Wales. As part of this, Hungary will develop the Pápa Air Base and will promote the defence capacities of the Baltic Region, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said during his discussion with General Adrian Bradshaw, NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, on Wednesday in Budapest.

Judit Fülöp, the press chief of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, informed Hungarian News Agency MTI that the Minister expressed the continued support of the Hungarian Government for NATO enlargement and for accelerating the Euro-Atlantic integration of Macedonia and Montenegro by all possible means.

According to the announcement, the Minister emphasised at the meeting that Hungary was in favour of a negotiated solution to the conflict in Ukraine, adding that Hungary would provide 100 000 euros to support the NATO Trust Fund for strengthening cyber security in Ukraine.

Hungary is participating in the new NATO military operation in Afghanistan by contributing almost one hundred soldiers and 500 000 dollars annually between 2015 and 2017 to support the international funding of the Afghan security forces, Péter Szijjártó commented. Lastly, he confirmed that NATO could count on a Hungarian presence in the Western Balkans as well and that the Hungarian contingent of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) had recently been increased to 335 members.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)