Hungary will continue to block Ukraine’s progress towards membership in the European Union in response to Kyiv’s decision to ban three Hungarian military officials from entering Ukraine. This was announced by Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on his official page on X.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Hungary’s Position and Official Budapest’s Arguments
Szijjártó emphasized that over the past decade, Ukraine has pursued an “anti-Hungarian policy,” which, according to Budapest, has deprived the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia of a number of rights. In addition, he mentioned the case of a Hungarian from Transcarpathia who died during mobilization, an attack on the “Druzhba” pipeline that supplies energy to Hungary, as well as the recent ban on Hungarian military leaders entering Ukraine.
“For 10 years, Ukraine has pursued an anti-Hungarian policy. The Hungarian community in Transcarpathia has been deprived of rights, a Hungarian was beaten to death during conscription (referring to the case of Transcarpathian József Sebeshteny – ed.), there was an attack on the pipeline necessary for Hungary’s secure energy supply, and now Hungarian military leaders are banned from entering Ukraine. Instead, they expect our support for their EU membership? They can’t be serious,” said the head of the foreign ministry.
Ukraine’s Reaction and Consequences of the Diplomatic Conflict
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha clarified that the ban on the three Hungarian military officials is a reciprocal response to Hungary’s previous ban on Ukrainian military personnel. Sybiha emphasized that any manifestation of disrespect from Budapest will receive an adequate Ukrainian response, especially concerning Ukraine’s defenders.
At the end of August, Péter Szijjártó announced a ban on the entry of the commander of the Ukrainian unit responsible for operations against the “Druzhba” pipeline, not only to Hungary but to the entire Schengen zone. In response, the President of Ukraine called these restrictions another attempt by the Hungarian authorities to shift the blame for the war onto Kyiv and distort reality.
Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Drone Systems, Robert Brovdi, who has Hungarian roots, criticized Budapest’s position on protecting the “Druzhba” pipeline and warned the Hungarian side not to take on more than it can handle regarding entry restrictions to the Schengen zone.