Hungary should participate in the common European defense policy and contribute to its financing, but should not agree to joint loans with the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, quoted by Reuters.
He spoke on Hungarian state radio today ahead of an EU summit next week.
Last week, European leaders backed plans to increase defense spending amid concerns that Russia, emboldened by its war in Ukraine, could then attack an EU country, and that Europe can no longer rely on help from the United States.
On Monday, EU finance ministers began discussions on financing the defense sector through new loans, existing European funds and a greater role for the European Investment Bank, and the decision is due to be made in June.
"We should take part in joint defense efforts, in a common defense policy and contribute financially to collective defense, but under no circumstances should we do so through joint loans," Orban said.
The Hungarian prime minister said he expected a broad debate on the issue during next week's meeting and would ask the Hungarian parliament to take a position that would give him a negotiating mandate at the meeting.
Orban, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump and with ties to Moscow, has refused to send weapons to Ukraine since the war began and said that instead of prolonging the war, Europe should support Trump's peace talks, Reuters reports.