Ukrainian Defense Minister will not go to NATO-Ukraine meeting due to the 'blockade' by Hungary
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Stepan Poltorak, cancelled his plans to visit NATO headquarters this week due to Hungary’s decision to block the Ukraine-NATO Commission (UNC).
Information that the visit will not take place was confirmed to Evropeyskaya Pravda by the Ministry of Defense.
"The visit will not take place due to the lack of an agreed upon meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission among Defense Ministers," the Defense Ministry explained.
Formally, it is not about the "cancellation" of the visit because Poltorak’s trip to Brussels was not officially announced. However, the Defense Ministry did not hide that they intended to hold a "defense" meeting of the UNC this week.
The UNC meeting was scheduled for February 14-15 but these plans were not officially agreed to because of resistance from one member-country of the Alliance - Hungary.
Budapest is blocking the second ministerial meeting. The Hungarian authorities explain that this is being done to put pressure on Ukraine and demand the revision of the language law of the Education act.
At the same time Ukrainian politicians note that the blockade of the Ukraine-NATO Commission works in Russia’s favor.