NATO is not surprised by Hungary’s betrayal

Reports that Hungary passed on confidential information to the Kremlin regarding discussions at closed-door EU Council meetings have raised concerns that the Hungarian delegation to NATO could pose a threat to the Alliance’s secret military plans, Euractiv reports.

However, warnings that Hungary’s contacts with Russia pose a security threat came as no surprise to officials at NATO headquarters, where some of Europe’s most classified information is stored.

“I don’t think it was a big surprise,” said a source at NATO.

Another source noted that Hungary treats NATO differently than it treats the EU.

“In the context of NATO, Hungary has always been much more responsible than in the context of the EU,” he said.

A NATO diplomat acknowledged that certain operational plans related to Ukraine are not discussed in the presence of Hungarian officials, mainly because they concern aspects of military support and training in which Hungary does not participate.

“Hungary has consistently made it clear that it will not do anything that would affect its place in NATO’s collective defense system,” the diplomat said.

He noted that Hungary is trying to separate its policy toward the Alliance from its disputes with Brussels.

Photo: Viktor Orbán/Facebook.