Hungary Closes Doors to Russians, Aims to Restore Allied Trust

Hungary is taking steps to mend its relationship with NATO allies, with the defense minister declaring that Budapest is "closing its doors" to Russians. The minister asserted that this move is crucial for restoring the trust of allied nations and acknowledged that Russian intelligence services have attempted to exert covert influence over Hungary.

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Hungary must restore the trust of its allies, and when it comes to the Russians – we are closing our doors to them.

During a discussion at Budapest's energy talks, the minister highlighted that one of the new Hungarian government's initial actions was to apologize to Finland for the previous administration's delay in ratifying Finland's NATO membership. He characterized this past policy as unacceptable, signaling a clear shift in foreign policy.

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP, though this goal is slated for achievement by 2035. To bolster its defense industry, Budapest intends to forge new partnerships with European defense companies, encouraging them to relocate some of their production capabilities to Hungary.

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One of the first steps of the new Hungarian government, in order to restore the trust of NATO countries, was to apologize to Finland for the actions of the previous Viktor Orbán government, when it delayed the ratification of Finland's accession to NATO.

This policy shift follows Prime Minister Peter Magyar's assertion at the NATO summit in Ankara that his government aims to restore Hungary's status as a "reliable ally." Magyar's party came to power after elections on April 12, ousting Viktor Orbán, who had led the country since 2010. During Orbán's tenure, Hungary frequently opposed EU initiatives supporting Ukraine and often echoed Russian propaganda narratives.

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His government seeks to return the country to the status of a 'reliable ally' and gradually increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.