Hungary has banned 12 Ukrainian news organizations as a retaliatory measure against Kyiv’s earlier restrictions on Hungarian media, intensifying tensions between the two nations. The move, announced by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, cited Ukraine’s “censorship” of foreign outlets critical of its policies, including sanctions on Russia, military aid, and EU membership aspirations.
Gulyas accused Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) of targeting independent journalism, stating, “A sovereign country must give a proportionate response to a completely unjustified attack.” He dismissed the banned outlets, including Ukrainian Pravda, as irrelevant but emphasized Hungary’s stance against what it called Kyiv’s oppressive measures. The Hungarian official also questioned Ukraine’s EU membership ambitions, asserting that if “fragmentation of the European Union is a reason for state censorship in Ukraine, then it is time for Ukraine to abandon its intention to join.”
Ukraine previously banned eight Hungarian websites, accusing Budapest of favoring Russian propaganda over factual reporting. Hungary has consistently opposed Western sanctions against Russia, arguing they harm EU members without resolving the conflict. Recent tensions have escalated due to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure supplying Hungary and Slovakia, with Budapest alleging Kyiv threatens its energy security.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy recently accused Hungary of deploying reconnaissance drones into Ukrainian airspace, prompting Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to dismiss the claims as an “anti-Hungarian obsession.” The standoff underscores deepening divisions between the two countries amid the broader Ukraine-Russia conflict.