Hungarian Diplomat Summoned Twice in One Day Amid Scandal Over Szijjártó’s False Claims

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Hungary’s chargé d’affaires for a second time following what Ukrainian officials describe as a deliberate misrepresentation of diplomatic talks by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó.

Oleg Tykhyi, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, stated that the Hungarian diplomat was recalled to the ministry just hours after an initial meeting due to Szijjártó’s “false claims” that allegedly “completely distorted” the content of their discussions.

“The Hungarian diplomat was warned about the inadmissibility of misrepresenting the substance of the talks, with the faint hope that this time Budapest will receive an undistorted message,” Tykhyi said, highlighting growing tensions between the neighboring countries.

At the center of the dispute is the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline, a critical energy infrastructure that transports Russian oil through Ukraine to several European countries, including Hungary. The pipeline’s functioning has become increasingly politicized amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and Hungary’s relatively Russia-friendly stance within the European Union.

According to Tykhyi, Ukraine never suggested during the meetings that “the resumption of oil supplies toward Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline had been blocked for political reasons.” This directly contradicts claims made by Szijjártó, who had alleged that Ukrainian officials admitted to closing the pipeline for political motives rather than technical issues.

The Ukrainian spokesperson clarified that the actual discussion focused on recent statements by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán regarding potential threats to Hungary’s critical energy infrastructure. In response to these concerns, Ukraine had offered assistance to Hungary in protecting its facilities.

“The Ukrainian side proposed activating operational channels for information exchange and coordination between the relevant authorities of both countries responsible for the protection of critical infrastructure,” Tykhyi explained. He added with a note of skepticism: “Of course, if Orbán’s statements are based on facts rather than fantasies.”

Earlier on February 26, Szijjártó had made serious allegations that Ukraine was demanding money and weapons supplies as conditions for restoring operations of the Druzhba pipeline. The Hungarian minister claimed Ukrainian officials had admitted there were “no physical or technical reasons” preventing the pipeline’s restoration, suggesting the disruption was purely political leverage.

The diplomatic row comes amid already strained relations between Kyiv and Budapest. Hungary, under Orbán’s leadership, has maintained closer ties with Moscow than other EU members and has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU aid packages to Ukraine. Orbán has also criticized sanctions against Russia and called for peace negotiations that many in Kyiv view as favoring Russian interests.

Energy security remains a critical issue for Hungary, which relies heavily on Russian oil and gas imports. The Druzhba (“Friendship”) pipeline, built during the Soviet era, remains a vital supply route despite the EU’s efforts to reduce dependency on Russian energy following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This diplomatic incident highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics in Central and Eastern Europe, where historical relationships, energy dependence, and responses to Russia’s aggression have created significant tensions even among neighboring states.

As the war in Ukraine continues into its third year, the management of critical energy infrastructure passing through Ukrainian territory remains both a practical necessity and a potential point of leverage in international relations, complicating Ukraine’s relationships even with ostensible allies in the region.