Top Hungarian Diplomat Says Necessary to Prevent Direct NATO-Russia Conflict

BUDAPEST (Sputnik) - It is necessary to prevent a possible direct conflict between Russia and NATO, which is one of the tasks of the Hungarian forces patrolling the skies over the Baltic States, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday.

Hungary is performing a rotating NATO air-policing mission over the Baltic States from August 1 to November 30, using four Gripen combat jets and 50 military personnel.

"We want there to be peace, but so far the military situation is not like that, we see it getting worse, and the most important thing now is to be able to prevent an escalation of the conflict... Perhaps one of the most important goals is that NATO and Russia can prevent a direct conflict. It is necessary to guarantee our security, sometimes even in close proximity to the Russian Air Force, so that this certain string does not burst," Szijjarto said during his speech at the Lithuanian Siauliai air base.

Top Hungarian diplomat also stressed the importance of the development of the national army and emphasized that without the Hungarian army and aviation NATO would not be so strong.

In April, Russia sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Ukraine amid ongoing special military operation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any arms shipments on the Ukrainian territory would be "legitimate targets" for Russian forces. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly claimed that the alliance is not planning a direct confrontation with Russia, but would continue to supply weapons to Ukraine.