Budapest responds to summoning of Hungarian ambassador to Ukraine's foreign ministry
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has summoned Hungarian ambassador Antal Heizer and expressed a formal protest over recent remarks by Hungarian officials who have accused Ukraine of supposedly interfering in Hungary's parliamentary elections.
On 27 January, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's ambassador in Budapest due to what it claimed were attempts by Kyiv to influence Hungary's parliamentary elections in favour of the opposition Tisza party.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry summoned the Hungarian ambassador in response.
It was made clear to Heizer that Ukraine strongly rejects any suggestion of involvement in Hungary's election campaign and that such claims harm bilateral relations.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry also called on Hungary to stop its aggressive anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in order to avoid fallout that would affect relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Ukraine stressed that it remains ready to develop constructive cooperation with Hungary.
Szijjártó said on Facebook he was not surprised that the Hungarian ambassador in Kyiv had been summoned to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.
"They again expressed their objections to the national referendum through which the Hungarian people will have their say on Brussels' and Kyiv's intentions to spend Hungarian taxpayers' money on supporting and arming Ukraine," Szijjártó wrote.
He also complained that Hungary has not received any explanations as to why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy supposedly insulted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán or why Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha compared Orbán to Hitler's henchman Ferenc Szálasi.
Szijjártó added that based on what the Hungarian ambassador was told, he expects that "Ukrainians will continue to openly and crudely interfere in the April elections in favour of the Tisza party".
"However, Ukrainians should be prepared for us to protect the sovereignty of our country and not allow them to influence the outcome of the election," the Hungarian minister wrote.