Budapest: Hungary has dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s allegation that Hungarian reconnaissance drones may have crossed into Ukrainian airspace.
In a post on X, Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had detected airspace violations “by reconnaissance drones, which are likely Hungarian,” adding that initial findings suggested the flights could have targeted industrial areas near the border.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto rejected the claim, writing on Facebook that Zelensky “is losing himself in anti-Hungarian sentiments” and “chasing phantoms.”
Ties between Budapest and Kyiv have been tense in recent years. Hungary has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian strikes against the Druzhba oil pipeline, vital for its Russian energy supplies, and has raised concerns over the rights of the ethnic Hungarian community in Ukraine’s Transcarpathian region, according to Xinhua news agency.
Budapest also opposes Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union, citing the need for stronger safeguards for minorities and warning of the strain Kyiv’s membership could place on the EU’s farm subsidy system. High-level contacts between the two countries remain frosty, with leaders often trading barbs publicly.
Despite these disagreements, Hungary has extended humanitarian support to Ukraine since the conflict began in February 2022, including opening its borders to refugees and establishing a Ukrainian-language school for displaced children.