In comments to the daily Népszava, Melia said it was uncertain how long Hungary’s NATO allies would be willing to share crucial military secrets “with a Hungary that nurtures increasingly close ties with Putin’s increasingly aggressive Russia”.

“I don’t understand how Hungarians can tolerate this after what Russia did to Hungary during the years of communism. Has historical memory been lost?”

In a statement, deputy state secretary Tamás Menczer said: “Melia is [US billionaire] George Soros’s failed man who had had to leave the US State Department. It’s unbelievable that he praises Soros but insults the Hungarian people.”