Ukraine expels two Hungarian diplomats in response to Budapestʼs actions

Ukraineʼs Foreign Ministry is expelling two Hungarian diplomats in response to Hungaryʼs actions. The officials must leave the country within 48 hours.

This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiga.

"Two Hungarian diplomats must leave our country within 48 hours. We have just summoned the Hungarian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and handed him a corresponding note. We are acting in response to Hungaryʼs actions, based on the principle of reciprocity and our national interests," Szybiga said.

On May 9, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced that his ministry had expelled two Ukrainian diplomats, allegedly on espionage charges. This came immediately after the SBU exposed a Hungarian military intelligence agent network that was spying on Ukraine.

The Foreign Minister believes that since the beginning of Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine, "anti-Hungarian propaganda" has allegedly intensified. He says the reason for this is that Budapest has refused to provide military assistance to Ukraine and instead "advocates for peace."

• On the morning of May 9, the Security Service of Ukraine announced that it had detained two agents of the Hungarian military intelligence spy network. According to the investigation, the former serviceman and former servicewoman of the Defence Forces of Ukraine were collecting information about the defence of Transcarpathia, looking for weaknesses in ground and air defence, and studying the mood of the locals, in particular, how they might behave if the Hungarian military entered the region. The suspects have already been sent for arrest.
• Hungary has consistently opposed military aid to Ukraine, its membership in the EU and NATO, and the lifting of sanctions against Russia. The country is even planning to hold a national consultation on whether Hungarians support Ukraineʼs accession to the EU. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has publicly urged citizens to vote against. However, this vote will not affect Ukraineʼs accession to the bloc.

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