War-torn Ukraine is in a fight with the government. They say Ukraine is trying to stop Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party from winning the elections in Hungary. Hungarian ministers think Ukraine might even use violence against Orbán and his family. They also think Ukraine might attack or sabotage energy facilities.
Ukraine says these accusations are not true. Instead, Ukrainian officials believe the Hungarian government is spreading false claims about Ukraine to scare voters and help Fidesz win the election. Meanwhile, Russia also appears to be involved in the situation. According to a recent report, a company linked to Russia is planning a disinformation campaign in Hungary. The goal of this campaign is to support Orbán and weaken the opposition Tisza Party and its leader, Peter Magyar. Know More
There are 30 days left before Hungary’s parliamentary elections. Things are getting tense. Some polls show Fidesz trailing behind the Tisza Party. Some people think Orbán is worried about losing. Others think he knows his voters well and that talking about security threats will help him win.
The Druzhba oil pipeline is an issue. It supplies oil to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia. The pipeline stopped working on January 27 after a Russian drone strike caused a fire in Ukraine. Hungary has not received any oil through the pipeline since then. Orbán says satellite images show the pipeline is still okay. He accuses Ukraine of delaying repairs on purpose to hurt Hungary and influence the election.
A security analyst says the Hungarian government is not telling the whole story. He says the drone attack damaged an oil tank and that it will take time to fix. The campaign in Hungary is getting intense. Billboards and posters criticize Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Some posters show Zelensky asking European Union leaders for money. Read More
The Tisza Party says it supports peace.. Fidesz says they want Hungary to join the “pro-war lobby” in Brussels. Both sides are holding rallies. Orbán and his ministers say they are “anti-war”. Magyar campaigns with his supporters every day.
There was a campaign video. It shows a young girl asking her mother when her father will come home. Then it cuts to a scene where the father’s about to be executed. The video suggests that Hungarians could face this if they vote for Tisza. Hungary has deployed soldiers to guard energy facilities. The government says this is to reassure the public. The opposition says it is to frighten voters.
The dispute has affected European Union politics. Orbán vetoed an EU loan package for Ukraine. Ukraine got a €1.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund instead. Tensions increased when Ukrainian President Zelensky warned that anyone blocking aid for Ukraine could face consequences. He suggested that Ukraine’s armed forces might “visit” individuals.
Orbán reacted angrily. Hungary’s anti-terror units seized two vehicles belonging to the state savings bank, which created another controversy. The Hungarian government later ordered prosecutors to investigate.
A Hungarian “fact-finding mission” traveled to Ukraine to inspect the pipeline. Ukraine dismissed the group saying they had no status. This disagreement led to another exchange of accusations between the two countries. The dispute highlights the growing tension, between Hungary and Ukraine before Hungary’s important election.
