Radical party wants the same thing as Moscow: the creation of a buffer zone between NATO countries and Russia

The opposition Mi Hazánk party has said Hungary should veto any move to further expand NATO, arguing that beefing up the alliance on Russia’s border would be “a provocation” and “another step towards a world war”. The radical party said it advocated creating a buffer zone between NATO countries and Russia.

Referring to Finland and Sweden, Előd Novák, the party’s deputy leader, told a press conference on Monday that it was in their interest as well as everyone else’s that the war should not spread as the two countries join the alliance.

A militarily neutral zone has traditionally been played by Finland and Sweden in the north, and by Ukraine in central and eastern Europe, he added.

In the past six months, he said, it had become clear that attempts to integrate Ukraine with the West had provoked a “harsh” reaction from Russia, so Russia’s neighbours — Finland, Sweden, Ukraine and the other former Soviet member republics — should remain neutral.

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Novák insisted that far from retaining its independence, Hungary had become “a military parade ground”, with arms shipments bound for Ukraine via Romania and Slovakia passing through the country. He also said that Hungary’s army chief had “secretly” met the chief of the Ukrainian general staff. The Mi Hazánk politician also slammed the use of Hungarian Gripens to police Baltic airspace.

Asked about a report that incoming British Prime Minister Liz Truss had expressed readiness to launch a nuclear missile if necessary, Novák accused “irresponsible” European politicians of working to expand the conflict in Ukraine into a world war which, he added, Hungary should stay out of.

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