Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has promised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the opportunity to opt-out of NATO's activities supporting Ukraine if he is appointed the secretary-general of the military alliance, according to the Financial Times.
Rutte and Orbán met on the sidelines of an EU leaders' dinner in Brussels the day before. The Dutch Prime Minister assured Orbán that under his leadership, Hungary would have the right to opt-out of NATO's support activities for Ukraine beyond the territories of the alliance members, according to two people familiar with the discussion.
A representative of Rutte stated that they had a "good conversation" on Monday evening, primarily discussing the outcomes of last week's meeting between NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Hungarian Prime Minister.
"PM Rutte will confirm to PM Orbán in writing what they have discussed. It was a good and open conversation, and the two agreed to focus on the future," said the spokesperson.
Background
The current NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, will resign on October 1, 2024. By that time, the Alliance must decide on his replacement.
The leading candidate for the position of NATO Secretary General is Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
It was previously reported that 28 out of 32 NATO countries support his candidacy. However, consensus is needed for Rutte to become Secretary General.