Kiev alleges Budapest ran a spy network in Transcarpathia.
A growing dispute over alleged espionage has disrupted a planned meeting between Hungarian and Ukrainian officials intended to address tense relations.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced Friday the discovery of a Hungarian military intelligence operation in the Transcarpathia region, which has a large Hungarian population. Two Ukrainian citizens are in custody, accused of spying for Hungary.
Hungarian State Secretary Levente Magyar said Sunday that a meeting agreed upon last month with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishina was canceled. Magyar stated that Kiev’s public accusations made “good-faith constructive negotiations” impossible. Stefanishina has called for continued discussion despite the disagreement.
The talks were scheduled to occur in Uzhgorod, a Ukrainian city near the Hungarian border, and were to focus on the rights of ethnic Hungarians residing in Ukraine.
Hungary responded to the espionage allegations by deporting a suspected former Ukrainian spy, described by government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs as “a serious threat to Hungary’s sovereignty.” Kovacs shared a video of the arrest, mirroring the SBU’s reporting of its operation.
‼️Yesterday evening, Hungarian counterterrorism forces (TEK) detained a Ukrainian national in downtown Budapest. The man was subject to an entry and residence ban by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing due to espionage.
The middle-aged individual had previously…
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox)
Both countries have also expelled two diplomats each, accusing them of being intelligence agents. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed that Kiev instigated the scandal for the purpose of propaganda.
Hungary, a member of NATO and the EU, has frequently disagreed with Ukraine and its Western allies regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Hungary has declined to provide arms to Ukraine, advocating instead for a ceasefire with Moscow, which has caused frustration among Ukrainian authorities.
Hungary also opposes Ukraine’s attempts to join the EU and NATO, citing, among other concerns, Ukraine’s treatment of ethnic minorities, including laws limiting minority language education and cultural rights.