Ukraine's rocky relationship with Hungary reached new lows this month with the uncovering of an alleged spy ring run from Budapest. Arrests, tit-for-tat expulsions, and a stream of accusations from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban soon followed in a diplomatic scandal with potentially massive ramifications for both countries. "This is
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Key developments on May 9: * Russian glide bombs attack Sumy Oblast despite ceasefire, Air Force says * European ministers approve special tribunal to prosecute Russia's aggression against Ukraine * EU to provide Ukraine with over 1 million shells over 2025, allocate over $2 billion for military aid from Russian frozen assets * US,
Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
"It will destroy us. First of all, it will destroy Hungarian farmers and Hungarian agriculture; secondly, it will destroy the entire Hungarian national economy, and I have no idea how we will control the crime that will flood into Hungary with this," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
"I know that there are people from this Hungarian leader who have contact with people in President Trump's orbit, and are constantly raising questions... in regards to not expanding NATO into eastern Europe," President Volodymyr Zelensky said, criticizing Kremlin talking points that NATO was at fault for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
No information was provided on what specific agreements the bilateral document seeks to reach, however, Zelensky said that the document would likely involve issues pertaining to national minorities as well as security cooperation.
Sybiha and Szijjarto held talks in a one-on-one format and discussed "in detail a wide bilateral and international agenda," according to the Ukrainian official.
During a meeting between the foreign ministers, Kuleba said he briefed his counterpart on the situation on the front line and preparations for a second peace summit.
The previous day, unnamed sources in Budapest told the Guardian that the visit was confirmed after negotiations on the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority living in Ukraine.
The Hungarian government isn't planning on lifting its ban on Ukrainian grain imports, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on June 6 while visiting St. Petersburg, Russia, for the International Economic Forum, Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he supports the "Chinese peace plan" during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Budapest on May 9.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto's latest complaint against Ukraine was in relation to allegations that the country was planning to revoke several of the distribution permits for medicine from the Hungarian pharmaceutical company Richter.
During the Three Seas Summit in Vilnius on April 11, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the newly appointed Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, and extended an invitation for Hungary to join the Global Peace Summit scheduled for June in Switzerland.
Ukraine and Hungary agreed on opening a new border crossing for passenger vehicles at Velyka Palad-Nagyhodos and expand the Luzhanka-Berehshuran crossing to allow for empty vehicles weighing over 7.5 tons, the Infrastructure Ministry reported on April 8.
(Updated: )
