Ukraine decided to expel two Hungarian diplomats in response to Budapest’s actions. They must leave the country within 48 hours. About this reported Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiga.
“Two Hungarian diplomats must leave our country within 48 hours. We have just invited the Hungarian ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and handed him a corresponding note”, – noted Sybiga.
According to the minister, this decision is a response to Hungary’s actions and was adopted “based on the principle of reciprocity and our national interests.” This was preceded by the statement of the Security Service of Ukraine dated May 9, which referred to the exposure of Hungarian military intelligence agents in Transcarpathia. Among their tasks were the collection of information about the state of military security in the region, the analysis of vulnerable points in ground and air defense, as well as monitoring the mood of the local population in case of a possible invasion by Hungary.
The SBU detained two agents who, according to the investigation, were acting under the leadership of a personnel officer of Hungarian intelligence. Both were charged with treason, committed under martial law, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto, commented on the incident, saying that the report about the exposure of Hungarian agents in Transcarpathia should be perceived as “Ukrainian propaganda”. Later it became known that Hungary also expelled two Ukrainian diplomats.
Budapest claims that after the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine, the level of anti-Hungarian propaganda is allegedly increasing. The reason for the current “smear campaign against Hungarians”, according to them, is the government’s refusal to supply weapons to Ukraine and its peaceful position.
