Hungary is one of the safest countries in Europe

During the talks, besides issues concerning global and regional security policy, the delegations discussed the military-to-military relations between the two countries and the possible areas of further cooperation.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. István Simicskó stated that the security situation of Europe has deteriorated a lot in the last five years, due to the challenges arising simultaneously from the east and the south. Terror attacks have become almost everyday occurrences in Europe, most of which have been carried out by migrants arriving in a wave of illegal migration, which clearly indicates that there is a connection between mass illegal migration and international terrorism. The minister of defence added that more than 420,000 migrants crossed Hungary over the last two years, and, at the same time, close to 1000 potential terrorists may have arrived in Europe. Only Hungary – and later the countries of the Visegrád Cooperation, supplemented with our southern neighbors – has been able to stop the wave of illegal migration, which also proves that the cooperation of the Visegrád Four (V4) partners has strengthened to an unprecedented extent, and that this cooperation is exemplary in Europe. We can state that Hungary is one of the safest countries in Europe. The security of Hungary and the Hungarian families, the preservation of European values based on our national culture and the protection of the order of our Christian society stemming from our thousand-year-old past are not only our duty but also in our common interest.

The United States of America is one of Hungary’s key strategic partners in the field of defence cooperation and in the alliance system. The minister of defence expressed thanks to the American ally for helping the Hungarian Defence Forces with the generation of the Special Forces capability in addition to providing support for education, training and development. This cooperation has been actively going on since 1993. “Our troops are co-deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, and this effective military cooperation is strengthened through regular exercises in the area of Hungary and around the world", the minister said.

The members of the Senate delegation welcomed Hungary’s commitment to the development and modernization of the Hungarian Defence Forces, and the goals it has set itself as part of the recently launched Zrínyi 2026 National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program, including the renewal of the system of volunteer reserve, modernization and capability development. They appreciate the efforts Hungary as a NATO member country is making in order to continue fulfilling its international obligations in an outstanding way, and its pledge to increase the defence budget by 0.1 per cent of the GDP per year, so that it can reach the 0.2 per cent GDP target by 2024.

The members of the US Senate reaffirmed that they support the development projects envisaged by Hungary in the field of defence, and the two sides expressed hope that further progress will be made in strengthening and developing military-to-military relations.

Photos by Veronika Dévényi