Hungary summons Ukrainian ambassador over election interference claims
Ukraine's ambassador to Hungary was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Budapest on Jan. 27, as Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused Kyiv of interfering in Hungary's upcoming parliamentary elections.
"Today, we summoned Ukraine's ambassador to the MFA in Budapest. We will not tolerate any interference in Hungary's elections, including Ukraine's attempts to influence the outcome and to intervene in the electoral process in favor of the Tisza Party," Szijjarto said in a post on X.
Szijjarto claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian government had engaged in an "open, shameless and aggressive interference campaign" in recent weeks. According to Szijjarto, Kyiv's objective was to influence the Hungarian elections in favor of the Tisza Party.
"But only the Hungarian people can decide Hungary's future. That decision is made in Hungary, not in Brussels and certainly not in Kyiv. We will defend our sovereignty by every possible means!" he said.
Szijjarto's comments echoed recent remarks by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who on Jan. 24 accused Ukraine of meddling in Hungary's parliamentary elections, saying Kyiv had "gone on the offensive" and was "issuing threats and openly interfering in the Hungarian elections."
While Ukraine has not responded to Szijjarto's most recent claims, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reacted to earlier allegations, urging Hungarian officials to "not be afraid of Ukraine," but of the Hungarian people.
