Hungary slams Biden's approval for Ukraine to strike Russia with US missiles

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Hungary on Monday slammed the US decision to allow Ukraine to use American-supplied long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russian territories, warning that it could escalate the conflict to a global scale.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, in a statement posted on Facebook, described the White House's approval for Ukraine as an "extremely dangerous" step that could expand the conflict.

He claimed that "pro-war forces" in the US are ignoring the will of the people, who, according to him, are calling for peace rather than further escalation.

"The pro-war mainstream has launched a final, desperate attack on the new reality," he said, adding that the US decision could spark global conflict.

He criticized US politicians for failing to recognize the growing desire for peace, calling the announcement "undemocratic."

On Sunday, US President Joe Biden approved Ukraine's use of US-supplied missiles to target deeper into Russian territory.

This decision comes amid the presence of a significant number of Ukrainian troops already in Russia's Kursk region following their incursions in the first week of August, with US daily Politico claiming that they are expected to face a large-scale offensive involving Russian and North Korean forces.

With US President-elect Donald Trump's victory in the November 5 elections, many geopolitical experts believe he will shift Washington's policy toward Ukraine, having previously criticized American military aid to Kyiv.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed optimism that Trump's "peace through strength" approach will bring the conflict to an end.

Hungary, which has maintained relations with Moscow throughout the war, has repeatedly called for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine, a stance Zelenskyy has rejected, calling it "nonsense."

Szijjarto reiterated the need to halt the conflict’s escalation, calling it “a tough battle.”

Hungary remains one of the few EU countries maintaining close ties with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.