Hungary has firmly rejected claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Hungarian reconnaissance drones violated Ukraine’s airspace. Zelensky said preliminary assessments suggested the drones may have targeted Ukraine’s border industrial areas.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denied the allegation, saying Zelensky is “losing himself in anti-Hungarian sentiments” and chasing imaginary threats. The minister called the claims baseless in a statement posted on Facebook.
Relations between Budapest and Kyiv have been tense for years. Hungary has raised concerns over the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority in Ukraine and criticised attacks on the Druzhba oil pipeline, vital for its energy supplies from Russia. Hungary also opposes Ukraine’s EU accession due to minority protections and impacts on the EU’s agricultural subsidy system.
Despite political disputes, Hungary has provided humanitarian support since the Ukraine conflict began in February 2022. The country opened its borders to refugees and even established Ukrainian-language schools for refugee children, showing cooperation beyond diplomatic disagreements.
