Hungary is participating for the fourth time in NATO’s most dangerous mission, the joint defense of Baltic airspace, where there is a daily risk of direct confrontation with Russia, Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stated on Monday in Siauliai, Lithuania.
In his speech to Hungarian soldiers participating in the Baltic air policing operation, the minister emphasized that the Baltic region faces the greatest daily risk of direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, and that this is where the greatest responsibility lies. The situation is most fragile, and therefore a mistake, a bad decision or a misunderstanding here would have a devastating effect on the whole world.
Nowhere else are the allied forces and the Russian military so close to each other, either physically or figuratively,”
he pointed out.
“This is what makes the situation so complex, and this is why I would like to assure you of our special recognition, because here we must protect the security and sovereignty of our allies while also protecting the possibility of peacemaking,” he said.
“We Hungarians are capable of defending ourselves and our allies without escalating tensions and without dragging our nation and our alliance into war,” he continued.
Péter Szijjártó emphasized that, after 2015, 2019, and 2022, this is the fourth time that our country has taken on a role in protecting the airspace of our allies in the region.
“We are proud that we are not only members of the strongest defense alliance in world history, which would be enough in itself, but that we also contribute significantly to NATO’s collective security, given the size of our country and its overall strength and capabilities,” he said.
“And when it comes to contributing to collective security, it is clear that the cornerstone of this is the Baltic air policing mission (…) Because I believe that of all NATO missions, this is the most difficult, the most complex, and at the same time the most sensitive and dangerous task,” he added.
He then recalled that after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, there was complete agreement among NATO member states on two issues: first, that the North Atlantic Alliance is not a party to this armed conflict, and second, that literally everything must be done to avoid direct confrontation with Russia.
He emphasized that although some actors are trying to relativize and obscure the sharp red lines that have been drawn, these decisions are fortunately still in force today. “Crossing these lines could very easily lead to escalation and the outbreak of World War III, which, in a painfully simplistic way, could even lead to the destruction of the Earth, given the accumulated nuclear arsenals,” he warned.
He also noted that the mission is fully consistent with NATO’s original objectives, as it is the strongest defensive alliance in world history, not the strongest offensive alliance, even if some people are willing to confuse the two.
“For us, NATO has always been and will always be a defensive alliance, not an offensive one. And we are pleased that during the 19 alerts, 300 takeoffs, and more than 300 flight hours to date, you have also represented this position and this original founding purpose,” he stated.
The minister concluded by saying that a kind of war psychosis had taken hold among political decision-makers in Europe, but that those who think that a war can be ended on the battlefield or that a nuclear power can be defeated by arms shipments are mistaken.
He noted that Hungary was the only European country that had called for a ceasefire and peace negotiations from the beginning, but that the situation was better today than before because the world’s leading superpower, NATO’s leading force, the United States, also held this position.
He also believed that until a diplomatic settlement is reached, the most important task is to avert the risks of escalation and prevent Hungary from being dragged into this war.
“Although we hope that God will grant us a different situation by then, even if the current situation changes, this region will always be one of the priority areas from the point of view of European security architecture, which is why the Hungarian Air Force will return here in 2028,” he announced.
Via MTI; Featured photo: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
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