NATO membership for Ukraine should be ruled out, according to Gergely Gulyas, the minister in charge of the Hungarian prime minister’s office. Gulyas believes that a lasting peace in Ukraine can only be achieved if Russia receives security guarantees from the West. He stated that Kiev has no realistic chance of regaining the territories it claims as its own from Russia. Furthermore, he argued that Russia does not pose a threat to Central Europe because it has not been able to achieve a quick and decisive victory in the conflict.
Speaking at a students’ event on Saturday, Gulyas emphasized that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are impossible without the involvement of the US. He suggested that Kiev’s Western backers should provide security guarantees to Russia, but should not offer NATO membership to Ukraine. Gulyas believes that in the long run, peace between Moscow and Kiev could be maintained through the deployment of peacekeepers.
This stance is in line with the views of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who recently stated that without involving Russia in the security architecture of Europe, it is impossible to ensure a safe life for its citizens.
Hungary is not alone in calling for Russian interests to be taken into account. French President Emmanuel Macron also argued last December that the West should provide security guarantees to both Ukraine and Russia. He emphasized that NATO must address Moscow’s concerns about the deployment of weapons that could threaten Russia.
The debate over security guarantees for Russia intensified before the start of the Ukraine conflict. In December 2021, Moscow presented a list of demands to the US and NATO, requesting a ban on Ukraine’s entry into the military bloc and the retreat of NATO to its 1997 borders before expansion. However, the West rejected these demands.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently emphasized the importance of Ukrainian neutrality to Russia. He has argued that Ukraine’s push to join NATO was a key factor behind the military operation in the neighboring country.
In conclusion, Gulyas’s statements reflect Hungary’s position that NATO membership for Ukraine should be excluded, and that peace in Ukraine can only be achieved through security guarantees for Russia. This viewpoint is in line with the views of other Western leaders, such as Macron, who have called for the consideration of Russian interests in the region. The ongoing debate over security guarantees highlights the complex dynamics and challenges surrounding the Ukraine conflict.
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