Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky: keeping adequate ammunition stocks is in the Hungarian Defence Forces’ strategic interest

The Minister of Defence said that the war in Ukraine had thrown light on the severity of the problem that European nations do not have sufficient stocks of ammunition available to them. It is in the strategic interest of all European armed forces, and so of the Hungarian Defence Forces, too, not only to keep adequate ammunition stocks but also to ensure their secure and continuous replenishment, added the minister.

He stated that accordingly, Hungary is to join the seven-year “Collaborative Procurement of Ammunition” project arrangement of the European Defence Agency (EDA), which jointly coordinates the procurement processes by aggregating European demand. Through this, Hungary will be able to provide better accessibility and lower prices in meeting the strategic ammunition needs of the Hungarian Defence Forces, explained the minister.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky emphasized that concerning the military support of Ukraine, the position of the government of Hungary is unchanged: saving lives and ending the war can be achieved through immediate ceasefire and the start of peace talks; by contrast, sending weapons and ammunition can only result in the escalation of the war and the threat of its spillover. Hungary continues not to supply weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, and its joining the EDA-project arrangement relates to the fulfilment of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ own strategic ammunition needs. At the same time, joining this initiative does not mean exclusivity with regard to our ammunition procurements, he added.

The minister pointed out that the European “Collaborative Procurement of Ammunition” project will at once contribute to creating markets for the Hungarian munitions factory to be built in the future.

The minister of defence reiterated that Hungary does not participate in the arms supply; at the same time, it actively participates in all kinds of preparations aimed at enhancing the means of defence and the capacities of member states in order to strengthen NATO’s defence capabilities or to serve the better equipment of the Hungarian armed forces.

Press release of the Ministry of Defence