Hungary will not block NATO decisions on providing support for Ukraine but has agreed it will not be involved, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Wednesday during a visit to Budapest by the alliance's Secretary Gen. Jens Stoltenberg.

Hungary has been at odds with other NATO countries over Orban's continued cultivation of close ties to Russia and refusal to send arms to Ukraine, with Budapest's foreign minister last month labeling plans to help the war-torn nation a "crazy mission."

"Hungary made clear today that it will not block decisions by NATO which, although they differ from our rational assessment of the situation, are shared and advocated by the rest of the alliance," Orban told a news conference.

Orban said he had received assurances from Stoltenberg that Hungary would not have to provide funding for Ukraine or send personnel there.

Western countries have debated the possibility of training troops in Ukraine, but NATO has stressed it does not want to become directly involved in the conflict.

Budapest has in the past frustrated allies by blocking aid to Ukraine, with tensions boiling over at a recent meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

Stoltenberg's visit to Budapest came a day after a summit of leaders of eastern flank NATO states in the Latvian capital Riga. Hungary did not attend, in a sign of its differences with many of its neighbors over support for Ukraine.

The meeting formed part of the preparations for a NATO summit in Washington in July, at which members are due to agree on a 40 billion euro ($43 billion) annual support package for Ukraine.

"What the prime minister and I have agreed today is that Hungary will not block other allies to agree a pledge for financial support for Ukraine and for a leading role for NATO in coordinating the support for Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.

"I am confident that when NATO leaders meet in Washington we will be able to finalize agreement on these issues." ($1 = 0.9302 euros)