Hungary thwarts attempt to send military equipment to Ukraine

Hungarian intelligence has prevented an attempt to use Hungary’s defence industry capacities for weapon deliveries to Ukraine, stated Gergely Gulyás, Chief of Staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

“Hungary will continue its policy of not supplying Ukraine with weapons or ammunition,” Gulyás emphasized, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to the report, attempts have been made by foreign intelligence agencies to redirect military materials produced in Hungary toward Ukraine. Due to the foreign ownership of certain Hungarian companies, such “trade processes” can be challenging to control, with supplies potentially routed through intermediaries. While a re-export license is typically required, there are concerns that attempts could be made to bypass this requirement. Hungarian intelligence, however, is actively intercepting such efforts.

Attempts were made to direct supplies not only to Ukraine but also to African countries, with individuals from NATO countries reportedly involved. Hungary, despite being a NATO member, has consistently vetoed military aid to Ukraine and has declined to fund similar initiatives. 

Budapest advocates for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. In line with his “peace initiative,” Prime Minister Orbán visited Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, and Washington earlier this year. Orbán proposed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy consider a ceasefire as a preliminary step towards negotiations with Russia, which Zelenskyy declined. Following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Orbán noted that Moscow and Kyiv remain far from a mutual understanding and that “many steps are needed” to move closer to ending the conflict.

Russia has repeatedly condemned Western military aid to Ukraine. Prior to Orbán’s visit to Moscow, Putin outlined conditions for a ceasefire, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, and Ukraine's formal rejection of NATO membership.

By Khagan Isayev