The Hungarian defense minister, Krysztof Salay-Bobrovnicki, indicated that the hard line some Western governments have taken on the Ukraine conflict is softening, driven by a growing minority voice that calls for an immediate ceasefire and the start of negotiations. The report came from Kossuth Radio.
On July 11–12, the minister joined Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the North Atlantic Alliance summit in Vilnius. He noted that many world leaders, including NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, continue to use a warlike rhetoric when speaking about Ukraine.
Salay-Bobrovnitsky stressed that his government strongly advocates a ceasefire and early peace talks. He described this stance as representing a minority viewpoint that is beginning to influence the broader climate of opinion, though he did not offer concrete examples to illustrate the shift.
During the Vilnius summit, the minister confirmed that Ukraine had not been invited to join NATO at that time, explaining that Kyiv was not yet ready and the regional conditions were not suitable for accession.
Earlier, in Hungary, terms related to confirming Sweden’s accession to NATO were part of ongoing discussions about alliance expansion.
In related remarks, a parliamentary statement in the State Duma suggested that even Ukraine’s president may not fully grasp what NATO expects from Kyiv, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding alliance expectations.