Britain and France are risking dragging the whole of Europe into a comprehensive war with Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto declared, while condemning the plans to deploy Western troops in Ukraine.
On January 6, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a statement with Ukraine intending to establish "military centers" in this country after reaching a peace agreement with Moscow.
Later, British Defense Secretary John Healey said during a visit to Kiev that London would spend 270 million USD to equip units ready to become part of the "multinational force".
For its part, Hungary has long opposed the escalation of tensions with Russia and called on the European Union (EU) to focus on diplomacy. Speaking at the congress of the ruling conservative Fidesz party on January 10, Foreign Minister Szijjarto emphasized that the belligerent ideology of Western European leaders is "putting Hungary in the greatest danger".
According to Mr. Szijjarto, Britain and France wanting to send troops to Ukraine is no different from "starting a war", with the goal of trapping Europe in a spiral of conflict and falling into a serious unstable situation.
The Hungarian Foreign Minister also noted that the EU considers Prime Minister Viktor Orban the "unique obstacle" to the bloc's plans and is seeking to replace him with a leader who supports Ukraine in the parliamentary elections scheduled for April.
If we win the election, we will stay out of the war. If we don't win, then the EU and Ukraine's plan will be implemented," Mr. Szijjarto said.
According to the plan outlined in Paris, Britain and France will deploy troops to support the construction of protected weapons facilities and participate in monitoring the US-led ceasefire. The US has ruled out the possibility of sending its troops to Ukraine.
On January 8, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that Moscow would consider any Western soldiers or military facilities in Ukraine as "an external interference", threatening Russia's security.
Russia has listed Ukraine's neutrality, including the absence of foreign troops on the ground, as one of the key conditions for sustainable peace.
