Hungary has strongly criticised NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s warning that Russia could be capable of attacking the alliance within five years, with Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó describing the remarks as irresponsible and dangerous.
In a statement posted on the U.S. social media platform X on Friday, Szijjártó accused Rutte of making alarmist claims by suggesting NATO could be Russia’s next target and by linking Ukraine’s security directly to that of the alliance.
Hungary, a NATO member state, firmly rejects this assessment, Szijjártó said, arguing that European security is guaranteed by NATO itself rather than by Ukraine. He stressed that Kyiv is fighting for its own national security, not on behalf of the alliance.
The Hungarian foreign minister also suggested that Rutte’s comments undermine diplomatic efforts led by the United States to pursue a negotiated settlement to the war, claiming the remarks contradict ongoing discussions around a U.S.-backed peace initiative involving Ukraine and Russia.
He warned that heightened rhetoric risks escalating tensions at a time when restraint and diplomacy are needed, calling on NATO leadership to avoid statements that could further inflame the conflict.
Rutte made the comments on Thursday during a speech at an event linked to the Munich Security Conference in Berlin, urging NATO members to increase defence spending and strengthen deterrence. He said Russia’s war-focused economy could enable it to pose a direct military threat to the alliance within five years.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that Ukraine is pursuing parallel diplomatic tracks with European partners and the United States, focusing on security guarantees, economic recovery and broader coordination aimed at ending the war.
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China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that it will introduce a licensing system for steel exports starting in 2026, covering around 300 steel products.
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week.
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed proposals for a ceasefire to allow a territorial referendum in Ukraine, describing any pause in hostilities as a tactical ploy rather than a genuine step toward ending the conflict.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Kyiv has escalated its naval campaign against Moscow’s economic lifelines, claiming a successful strike on a vessel suspected of skirting international sanctions within the Black Sea.
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Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held talks on Friday during the International Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, focusing on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues
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