New Russian ultimatum raises concerns over Hungary’s NATO membership amid reports of Hungarian mercenaries fighting in Ukraine

Amid reports that at least two dozen Hungarian mercenaries are fighting against Russian forces, a new Russian ultimatum has raised concerns regarding Hungary’s NATO membership. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has repeatedly shared maps proposing the partition of Ukraine, in which Hungary would gain territory. However, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister has now adopted a markedly different tone when discussing the preconditions for a potential resolution to the war in Ukraine. His recent remarks suggest that Russia may also consider Hungary’s NATO membership an obstacle to peace, implying that its termination could be a prerequisite for any settlement.

The Russians are demanding that NATO withdraw from Eastern Europe

According to Newsweek, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister responsible for U.S. relations, non-proliferation, and arms control, discussed the matter in an interview with Russian state news agency TASS. Ryabkov stated that a settlement in Ukraine would be difficult to achieve without addressing the root causes of the conflict between Russia and the West. He identified the principal issue as the West’s “eastward expansion”. Therefore, he argued, NATO forces must leave Eastern Europe in order for the war to end.

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Prior to the regime changes in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989–1990, Soviet troops were stationed throughout the region, with the exception of Romania. It was Gorbachev who decided to withdraw these forces. The last Soviet soldier left Hungary in June 1991, although the country had already formed a democratically elected, independent government in May 1990, which decided to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and pursue NATO memebership.

Strong NATO presence in Hungary

President Putin has described the dissolution of the Soviet Union as a tragedy, and in recent years, the Russian leadership has consistently claimed that the West promised not to expand into Eastern Europe. According to the Kremlin, NATO’s openness to admitting Ukraine was a key cause of the invasion.

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NATO currently maintains a strong military presence in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, with eight battle groups showcasing the strength of the transatlantic alliance. Previously, the Kremlin’s demands focused on preventing Ukraine from joining NATO, but Ryabkov has now expanded this demand to include all of Eastern Europe—though he did not specify which countries would be affected.