The Hungarian Parliament has passed a resolution rejecting Ukraine’s bid for European Union membership and opposing further military financing for the country. This decision has been met with criticism from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which claims it sends a detrimental message to the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the vote aligns Hungary with Russian policies regarding the EU. The ministry’s statement characterized Hungary’s actions as an attempt to act as a “Trojan horse” within the EU, aiming to obstruct financial and military support for Ukraine amid ongoing Russian aggression.
Officials in Kyiv expressed disappointment over Hungary’s stance, suggesting it serves to hold the EU hostage and weaken European unity. They emphasized that the Hungarian resolution lacks legal power regarding Ukraine’s EU integration process.
In a broader context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the resolution as a political maneuver linked to Hungary’s electoral campaign. They also criticized a recent government decree and accompanying legislation aimed at legitimizing the seizure of funds from the Ukrainian state bank, Oschadbank.
Ukrainian diplomats reiterated their demand for the immediate return of seized assets and expressed their intent to pursue justice through national and international legal channels.
On March 9, the Hungarian government enacted a decree following the seizure of a significant amount of cash and gold bars being transported by Ukrainian citizens. This decree allows for the retention of the seized assets during the investigation.
On the same day, the Hungarian Parliament approved a law concerning the confiscation of currency and valuables from Oschadbank’s cash transport vehicles, passing with 119 votes in favor, 25 against, and 14 abstentions. Notably, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was absent during the vote, resulting in a total that fell short of the two-thirds majority required for legal significance.
Additionally, the Parliament’s resolution explicitly rejects Ukraine’s EU membership and further military aid, while calling for support of international peace efforts without sending funds or weapons to Ukraine.
On February 20, Hungary blocked a proposed €90 billion loan to Ukraine, citing the lack of oil transit from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline. Ukrainian officials countered that they had informed Budapest about Russian attacks on the pipeline and deemed Hungary’s accusations illogical.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó claimed during an EU meeting that Russia had not attacked the pipeline infrastructure and suggested that Ukraine had halted transit for internal political reasons. This statement drew accusations from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused Szijjártó of acting in favor of Russia.
On February 23, European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis stated that the EU was not considering alternative options for the €90 billion loan blocked by Hungary.
In a related incident, on March 6, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported that Hungarian authorities had detained seven employees of Oschadbank who were transporting cash on an armored vehicle from Austria. Oschadbank confirmed the disappearance of its workers and the seizure of their vehicles and valuables, which included approximately $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold.
Sources indicated that the seized vehicles were located in Budapest, near a local security agency. The Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration later confirmed the detention of the seven Ukrainians on suspicions of money laundering, stating that they had promptly notified the Ukrainian consulate about the investigation.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the detentions as an abuse of power and advised citizens to refrain from traveling to Hungary due to safety concerns. The head of Ukraine’s National Bank, Andriy Pyshnyy, announced a team would be dispatched to Budapest to clarify the situation regarding the detentions.
The detained cash transporters returned to Ukraine on the evening of March 6, although the valuables remain in Hungary. On March 9, a lawmaker from the ruling Fidesz party registered a bill in the Hungarian Parliament for a two-month freeze on the Ukrainian assets seized during the incident.
Legal representatives for the detained cash transporters argued that the Hungarian authorities implicitly recognized the illegality of the asset seizure, suggesting the proposed legislation was an attempt to retroactively legitimize the confiscation.
Hungary has consistently blocked Ukraine’s EU accession talks since early 2025, claiming that Ukraine’s membership would be a burden for both the EU and Hungary. The Ukrainian Justice Minister stated that Kyiv had agreed with Hungary to conduct regular consultations aimed at unblocking the accession process.
Despite this, Hungary postponed discussions regarding national minorities that were scheduled for May 12, citing accusations of espionage from Kyiv. The Hungarian government has also conducted a consultative referendum on Ukraine’s EU membership, presenting seven alleged threats to Hungary from such membership, although the referendum’s results are not binding.
Hungary's recent parliamentary actions against Ukraine's EU membership and military funding reflect a broader alignment with Russian interests, raising concerns about European unity. The Ukrainian government has condemned these moves as politically motivated and detrimental to its integration efforts.