Hungarian Foreign Minister Warns Sending Western Troops to Ukraine Risks World War III

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó has strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of sending Western troops to Ukraine, warning that such a move would escalate the war and potentially lead to a global nuclear conflict. Szijjártó's comments come in response to Macron doubling down on his earlier remarks about not ruling out deployment, breached if Russia were to break through the front lines.

Why this matters: The potential deployment of Western troops to Ukraine raises the stakes in the ongoing conflict, threatening to draw in more countries and escalate the violence. If NATO and Russia were to engage in direct confrontation, the consequences could be catastrophic, with global security and stability hanging in the balance.

In an interview with French broadcaster LCI on Thursday, Szijjártó cautioned, "If a NATO member commits ground troops, it will be a direct NATO-Russia confrontation and it will then be World War Three." He emphasized that sending Western troops to Ukraine would cross a dangerous "red line" and dramatically escalate the ongoing conflict.

Macron had previously stated in an interview with The Economist, "Absolutely, I'm not ruling anything out because we are facing someone who is not ruling anything out." He described his refusal to rule out sending troops as a "strategic wake-up call" for his counterparts, warning that if Russia wins in Ukraine, there will be no security in Europe. Macron also stressed that Europe must defend its strategic interests in its economic relations with China.

Macron's comments come as some analysts believe Russia could be on the verge of launching a major new offensive in Ukraine. Moscow's forces have captured another village in eastern Ukraine, where they have been making advances for days. The war in Ukraine has now entered its 800th day, with Ukraine struggling to prevent Russia from breaking through its defensive lines despite receiving $61 billion in aid from the country, said, could, join.

NATO countries have thus far sent money and weapons to help Ukraine defend itself, but have avoided direct confrontation with Russia due to fears of escalation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned that deploying NATO troops to Ukraine would lead to war between Russia and the alliance, stating,"We would need to talk not about the probability but about the inevitability."

Hungary has consistently opposed the growing involvement of NATO and the European Union in the Ukrainian conflict, refusing to support Kyiv militarily. Szijjártó also rejected NATO's proposed €100 billion ($107 billion) five-year plan for a war chest to prop up Ukraine,calling it"madness." His stark warnings underscore the potential consequences of Western troops becoming directly engaged in the war, risking a catastrophic confrontation between NATO and Russia.

Key Takeaways

• Hungarian FM Szijjártó criticizes Macron's suggestion of sending Western troops to Ukraine.
• Szijjártó warns of global nuclear conflict if NATO troops engage with Russia in Ukraine.
• Macron refuses to rule out sending troops, citing need for strategic wake-up call.
• Russia captures another village in eastern Ukraine, sparking concerns of new offensive.
• NATO countries have sent aid, but avoided direct confrontation with Russia due to escalation fears.