Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, has said his country is trying to find to a way around its Nato membership obligations as he continues to rally against helping Ukraine to fend off Russia.
Orban has previously ruled out sending Hungarian military assistance to the key Nato ally, opposed the bloc training Ukrainian soldiers, and has delayed imposing EU sanctions on Russia as the war in Ukraine continues to rumble on.
The PM said: "Our lawyers and officers are working [to define] how Hungary can exist as a Nato member without taking part in Nato operations outside Nato territory.
"There have not been many situations in the history of Nato when a member state would stick to the basic idea of Nato as openly and clearly as Hungary does now, and therefore... its position within the military alliance would have to be redefined."
Orban (right) has previously ruled out sending Hungarian military assistance to Ukraine in its war against Russia
Reuters
Orban's comments follow those by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who claimed the country would not participate in Nato's long-term plan to aid Ukraine - which he called a "crazy mission".
The bloc's member states had agreed in April to start planning on long-term military support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, taking over some coordination work from a US-led coalition known as the Ramstein group.
"Hungary will stay out of Nato's crazy mission despite all the pressure," Szijjarto told a Facebook-live event in London.
Though Hungarian forces have taken part in prior Nato missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, Orban's links to Russia have stirred fears within the bloc.
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GettyHungary had taken its time to ratify Sweden's Nato accession, which was finally passed after months of heel-dragging by Budapest in March.
The US envoy to Hungary has previously said that Nato allies are warning Hungary of the dangers of its "close and expanding" relationship with Russia - and warned that if this was the country's policy choice, "we will have to decide how best to protect our security interests".
Though Orban has acknowledged his rocky relationship with the bloc, he has remained steadfast on his position.
The PM said: "It is as if everyone is already in a different future... They simply refuse to consider these arguments beyond a polite hearing - and war planning is going on.
"We indicated in advance that we do not approve of this, and we do not want to participate in financial or armament support, not even within the framework of Nato.
"Therefore, our situation is a strange 'we are there, but we are not' situation - I don’t know how long this can be maintained."
Orban said Hungary is considered a "non-participant" Nato member, but it was working to establish a clearer definition.
He said: "If we were to opt out, our participation in Nato's military structure and our situation would also change."