Ukraine needs no Russia's permission to join NATO: MFA responds to statements by Vice Speaker of Hungarian Parliament

The reaction was posted on the Facebook page by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko.

He reminded that Ukraine has the sovereign right to freely choose its security means. And this right has been repeatedly confirmed at the level of all NATO member states, including Hungary.

"We do not need Russia's permission to become a member of the Alliance. At the same time, it is dangerous when some Hungarian politicians try to make the security of the Euro-Atlantic area dependent on Moscow's whims," Nikolenko wrote.

The Foreign Ministry emphasised that there are no objective reasons that would prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. Instead, Ukraine's membership will strengthen the Alliance and make it impossible for Russia to repeat its aggression in Europe in the future.

Earlier, in an interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestia, Dora Duro, Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament and representative of the far-right Hungarian party Our Fatherland, said that Ukraine's accession to NATO without security risks is possible only if Russia approves such a step.

"We do not see any circumstances that would allow us to support NATO expansion at the expense of Ukraine. As long as Ukraine's borders are disputed and the armed conflict continues, even NATO's own rules exclude Kyiv's accession to the Alliance," Duro said. "Without the risk of war, Ukraine's accession is possible only if Russia approves it in the form of a certain agreement.

• On April 20, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine belongs to NATO and the Alliance will do everything possible to help Ukraine become a member. The Secretary General also emphasised NATO's "long-term commitment" to help Ukraine. 

• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban did not like NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's statement on the prospects of Ukraine's membership.