By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News reporting from Budapest, Hungary

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary has denied reports that it was asked by the United States to host nuclear warplanes amid concern within the NATO military alliance about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The USA has not sent such a request to Hungary, and the government does not want nuclear weapons on Hungarian soil, neither now nor in the future,” said Hungary’s Ministry of Defense in remarks seen by Worthy News on Thursday.

British and American media said the U.S. planned to upgrade its Kecskemét military air base in Hungary to house F-15 Eagle strike tactical fighter jets. Those planes are certified to carry B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs.

However, “The import of nuclear weapons is not possible without the consent of the Hungarian government and Parliament’s consent. The government did not grant such permission and does not plan to grant such permission in the future,” the ministry added.

Those legal safeguards were introduced after Hungary was forced to place nuclear weapons on its soil when occupied by Russian forces till 1989.

The latest controversy emerged Thursday as Hungary’s right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pleaded for de-escalation of the war in Ukraine, Hungary’s neighbor.

“We are obviously losing the war on the frontlines,” Orbán stressed on the sidelines of a European Union summit and a gathering of his eurosceptic Patriots for Europe party group.

CHANGING STRATEGY

“So we need change… I don’t mean more war, more dangerous and longer-range weapons, but that we should replace the strategy of war with a strategy of peace. Ceasefire and peace talks,” he argued.

Orbán, who has been criticized for negotiating about Ukraine with Russia’s and China’s presidents, said the EU must change its current war strategy to a “strategy of peace” as hundreds of thousands have been killed or injured.

Hungary, which currently has the rotating EU presidency, has officially refused to allow weapons of troops through its territory to Ukraine. However, a US senior security source told Worthy News there have been situations where Hungary “privately has looked the other way,” allowing military operations to go forward.

Orbán noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to present his “victory plan” to the summit in Brussels. “We don’t officially know it yet, but we heard what he said yesterday in the Ukrainian parliament. That is more than frightening,” the prime minister added.

On the eve of the EU summit, Zelenskyy told Ukrainian lawmakers that his victory plan included inviting Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance.

Additionally, he seeks permission to use Western-supplied longer-range missiles to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory — steps that have been met with reluctance by Kyiv’s allies so far. “If we start moving according to this victory plan now, it may be possible to end the war no later than next year,” Zelenskyy told the Verkhovna Rada, the parliament.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Zelenskyy’s “victory plan” and said it could result in a direct conflict between Russia and NATO.

“He is pushing NATO members toward a direct conflict with our country and is again insisting on getting permission to use long-range weapons on Russian territory,” Zakharova warned.

Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

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