Hungary FM: Ukraine Ramps Up Hostile Propaganda Against Hungary

Ukraine's ongoing smear campaign against Hungary since the outbreak of the war, has gained new momentum, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday in Budapest. He emphasized that this campaign has persisted since the government made clear it would not send weapons or money to Ukraine, nor terminate its energy cooperation with Russia.

A Ukrainian citizen suspected of espionage is detained by Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Center (TEK). (Photo: Balazs Hatlaczki)

At a joint press conference with his Rwandan counterpart, Szijjarto told reporters that in recent days, no new information — formal or informal — had emerged that would indicate anything other than “a massive, state-funded, state-directed, anti-Hungarian smear and propaganda campaign from Ukraine” in connection with the recent Kyiv espionage allegations.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto attends an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on May 7, 2025 (Photo: NurPhoto/AFP/Klaudia Radecka)

Szijjarto explained that since the start of the war — and since Hungary clearly stated its refusal to supply weapons or financial support, and its intention to maintain energy ties with Russia — a propaganda war has been waged against Hungary from Ukraine, with new chapters unfolding continually, such as one last Friday, according to MTI.

He commented that the talks on the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, originally scheduled for Monday, were ill-timed in light of the currently ramped up smear campaign.

He described it as a double standard from the left-wing media outlets: when Hungary consistently defends the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine — which has been systematically deprived of its rights since 2015 — it is accused of being pro-Russian. But if Hungary cancels a meeting amid a propaganda war, the same media suddenly starts expressing concern for Transcarpathian Hungarians.

“Of course, we would like to continue consultations with the Ukrainians on the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia — just as we have done for ten years. For ten years, Ukraine has made countless promises. For ten years, they’ve deceived us. And for ten years, they’ve been stripping away the rights of Hungarian people. So believe me, the reversal of Ukraine’s anti-Hungarian policies over the past decade does not hinge on one single consultation,” he stressed.

Szijjarto went on to say that any country neighboring a country at war is “by definition in the zero phase of war” and must prepare for self-defense.

“For the past three years, our policy has been to protect Hungary from the war, to stay out of the war, and to prevent being dragged into it by provocation,” he stated.

“And when there’s a war next door, you must be prepared to defend yourself. That requires an army and capabilities. We didn’t just start the Zrinyi 2026 military development program yesterday — Hungary’s military modernization has been on the agenda for years now because we must be able to defend ourselves. Unfortunately, today’s situation makes that even clearer,” he added.

Finally, regarding Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s remarks about the Romanian presidential election, Szijjarto posed the rhetoric questions: “What are we supposed to say in this situation? That we won’t cooperate with Romania’s next president? Really? Does someone actually believe that should be the government’s foreign policy?”

He said, "Hungary always aims for the best possible cooperation with neighboring countries that have large Hungarian communities, because past experience proves that good relations benefit the ethnic Hungarians living there. So, naturally, if a presidential election is taking place in a neighboring country, we respect that,” he added.

Looking ahead, he firmly stated that the Hungarian government will not yield an inch on Hungarian rights — in Transcarpathia, Transylvania, or Szekely Land — and will continue to firmly stand up for them, regardless of who the negotiating partner is. He also underlined that every step will be coordinated with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ/UDMR), since they represent the local Hungarian population.

Cover photo: A Ukrainian citizen suspected of espionage is detained by Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Center (TEK). (Photo: Balazs Hatlaczki)