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Hungary Targets NATO 5% Defense Spend, Courts Ukraine

7/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi announced on July 14 that Hungary will shut out Russian influence and restore Western trust.
He said Hungary will meet NATO’s 5 % of GDP defense-spending goal by 2035 while focusing on education and healthcare due to economic difficulties.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s government is lifting a nine-month Ukrainian-media ban, courting Ukraine, and negotiating with European defense firms to move production to Hungary and discuss ethnic-Hungarian issues with Kyiv.

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Story summary

Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi announced on July 14 that Hungary will shut out Russian influence and restore Western trust.
He said Hungary will meet NATO’s 5 % of GDP defense-spending goal by 2035 while focusing on education and healthcare due to economic difficulties.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s government is lifting a nine-month Ukrainian-media ban, courting Ukraine, and negotiating with European defense firms to move production to Hungary and discuss ethnic-Hungarian issues with Kyiv.