No NATO clause, no deal: Zelensky on signing agreement between Ukraine and Hungary

President Volodymyr Zelensky clarified when Ukraine could finalize a bilateral agreement with Hungary, emphasizing the significance of the NATO aspect.

Ukraine's president stated this during the press conference.

Zelensky emphasized that the bilateral document contains not only what one side wants but also what is essential for the security of the present and the future.

"Both sides. For us, the support of Ukraine in the EU and Hungary's support of Ukraine in NATO is important to us. The document currently does not include Hungary's support for Ukraine in NATO. Since there is no such thing, this document has not been signed. That's the end of it," he emphasized.

At the same time, the head of Ukraine explained that if Ukraine and Hungary respect each other, there should be no issues.

"Ukraine supports the fact that Hungary is in the EU and NATO. This is my attitude towards you. If you ask me any question about the Ukrainian relationship with Hungary, you will get a quick answer. We are ready for anything so that there are no issues between us. But if the Hungarian side has a question on any Ukrainian issue, then I believe it is incorrect. For example: there are questions about the EU – wait, about NATO – wait, because these are red lines regarding the Russian reaction. It cannot be so. A bilateral agreement is about respect. And about whether you see me as an equal," Zelensky concluded.

It is worth mentioning that Zelensky announced last month that Ukraine and Hungary were working on a joint agreement regarding their future relations. The president also noted a clause about Ukraine's potential membership in NATO at that time.

Instead, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they would not include Ukraine's membership in NATO in the agreement.

The Ukrainian President has arrived in Budapest at the invitation of Viktor Orbán and EU Council Chairman Charles Michel. This visit, the first since the beginning of the full-scale war, could potentially mark another stage in this ongoing process.

During the summit, Orbán's true attitude towards Ukraine was revealed when he had Zelensky's speech removed from the official broadcast. This suggests that the Hungarian prime minister is confident in his position and will likely continue to cause issues for both Ukraine and Europe.

Zelensky didn't hold back at the summit's concluding press conference, delivering a few sharp "jabs" at the Hungarian leader.

In particular, he sharply criticized Orban's calls for a "ceasefire" without Ukraine receiving appropriate security guarantees, namely joining NATO.

"In the document (the draft bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Hungary, – ed.) to date, there is no support for Ukraine from the side of Hungary in NATO. Since there is no such thing, this document has not been signed. That's the end of it," Zelensky emphasized.

For reference:

On November 7, the head of state, Volodymyr Zelensky, arrived in Budapest.

Two events were planned in Budapest on November 7 and 8. The first was the European Political Community (EPC) summit, attended by over 40 leaders representing almost all European countries. The summit addressed Europe's pressing security issues, such as Russia's hostile actions towards Ukraine.

After that, 27 EU leaders will gather for an informal summit, during which the "New European Treaty on Competitiveness" will be developed.

The President of Ukraine will take part in the European Political Community summit. This is his first visit to Hungary since the beginning of the Russian Federation's full-scale war against Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky has already held several meetings with Ukraine's main allies: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.