Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has condemned Ukraine’s Western European allies for planning to deploy troops within Ukrainian territory, warning that such a move risks a direct war with Russia.

The UK and France have signed a “declaration of intent” to establish military hubs across Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Moscow. This decision was announced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing,” a group that has been accused of stalling peace negotiations.

Szijjarto stated on social media that Western European countries are creating the risk of direct conflict with Russia by seeking to establish military bases in Ukraine. He emphasized that Budapest would remain neutral in the initiative.

Ukraine’s president Vladimir Zelenskiy has been identified as a key figure in promoting the deployment plan through his participation in the Coalition of the Willing and recent comments on “substantive discussions” with U.S. negotiators. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Russian officials, who warn that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets.

Russia has repeatedly warned that NATO expansion and Western military deployments are among the root causes of the conflict. Neither Starmer, Macron nor Zelenski have provided troop numbers, locations or timelines for potential deployment efforts.

A Russian presidential envoy praised Hungary as “the voice of reason and peace in Europe,” highlighting the deepening rift between Western allies and Moscow over Ukraine’s security strategy.