Orban said Ukrainian political leaders, including the president, had issued severely offensive and threatening messages against Hungary and its government last week.

"Our national security agencies assessed this latest Ukrainian attack and concluded that it forms part of a coordinated series of measures aimed at interfering in Hungary's elections," he declared.

The prime minister emphasised that Hungary could not permit anyone to endanger its sovereignty or the integrity of its electoral process. "For this reason, I have instructed Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to summon the Ukrainian ambassador today. Hungary's sovereignty and interests will be protected," Orban declared.

Ukraine Foreign Ministry Summons Hungarian Ambassador

Ukraine's foreign ministry on Wednesday said it had summoned Antal Heizer, Hungary's ambassador to Kyiv, over recent remarks by senior Hungarian politicians alleging Ukrainian interference in Hungary’s upcoming general election.

The ministry lodged a protest with the ambassador, denying any Ukrainian involvement in Hungary’s electoral process. It stressed that Kyiv firmly opposed "any attempt by the Hungarian side to draw Ukraine into Hungary’s election campaign", saying this damaged the development of bilateral relations.

The ministry urged Hungary to "cease its aggressive, anti-Ukrainian rhetoric" to avoid further negative consequences for bilateral ties. It added that Ukraine remained ready for constructive cooperation with Hungary.

The statement also reiterated calls for Budapest to stop blocking Ukraine’s EU accession talks, arguing that Ukraine’s membership would serve the interests of both nations as well as those of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.

Election 2026 - Szijjarto: Further pro-Tisza election interference to be expected from Ukraine

The Hungarian ambassador to Kyiv has been summoned to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Facebook on Wednesday, adding that based on the meeting, "Kyiv is expected to carry on with gross interference into the Hungarian elections in favour of the [opposition] Tisza party."

Peter Szijjarto said the move and the contents of the meeting had been "unsurprising". "They again objected to Hungarians expressing their opinions in a national petition on the intention of Brussels and Kyiv to spend Hungarians' money on operating and arming Ukraine," he said.

"We weren't given an explanation regarding President [Volodymyr] Zelensky's vulgar insults to [Prime Minister] Viktor Orban, or why the foreign minister is talking about Hitler. Based on what was said at the talks, we must be prepared for continued, open and gross interference into the Hungarian elections from the Ukrainians," he said.

"We will protect our homeland's sovereignty and we shall not allow that they interfere with the election results."

He said Ukraine was working for the victory of the Tisza party. "Hungary's future and the matter of war or peace can only be decided by Hungarians," he concluded.

Szijjarto: Govt will not tolerate Ukraine's attempts to intervene in elections

Ukraine's ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry on Tuesday, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in Pecs, in southern Hungary. The government "will not tolerate any interference in Hungary’s elections, including Ukraine’s attempts ... to intervene in the electoral process in favour of the Tisza Party," he said.

Peter Szijjarto said, according to a ministry statement, that Ukraine had engaged "in an open, shameless and aggressive interference campaign" in recent weeks, with the objective of aiding Tisza's victory at the elections on April 12.

During the meeting, the ambassador was told clearly that "Hungary will not tolerate election interference."

"Our deputy minister told the ambassador in no uncertain terms that Hungary will protect its sovereignty with every tool at is disposal ... it will protect the right of Hungarians to be the only ones to decide over Hungary's future," he said.

Szijjarto said that Tisza would "immediately green-light Ukraine's EU accession" if the party won the elections. "They would say yes to Brussels dragging Hungary to war and ... to funnelling Hungarians' money into operating the Ukrainian state," he said.

"The decision about Hungary's future is made in Hungary, not in Brussels and certainly not in Kyiv."

That decision was at stake at the elections on April 12, Szijjarto said. Further, "it is at stake ... whether Hungarians' money will be used for the benefit of Hungarian families or Brussels will be allowed to send it to Ukraine," he said.

"We are forcefully calling on Ukraine to stop interfering with the Hungarian election procedure in favour of Tisza and to respect Hungary's sovereignty; we, the patriotic sovereign government of Hungary, will protect that sovereignty with all tools at our disposal," he said.

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com
 

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