Hungary rejects Ukrainian accusation of conniving with Russia

Rejecting a claim by a high-ranking Ukrainian official, a pro-government news outlet suggests Western secret services were the source of Hungary’s knowledge about Russian plans in Ukraine.

In a televised interview on Monday, Oleksiy Danilov, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council said Russia had informed Hungary in advance about its plan to attack Ukraine. He also accused the Hungarian government of being ’openly on Russia’s side’ in the conflict and of hoping to seize Ukrainian territory as a result. The Hungarian embassy in Kiev expressed its outrage over what it described as completely trumped-up charges and urged the Ukrainian official to retract his remarks. Tamás Menczer, state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he understood Ukraine’s dissatisfaction with Hungary’s decision not to supply lethal weapons, but that position will not change no matter what ’absurd accusations are levelled at Hungary day after day’. The Ukrainian official made his statement after Pope Francis told the Milan daily Il Corriere della Sera that he had heard from Prime Minister Orbán about Russian plans to end the war by May 9.

In an unsigned article, Origo flatly dismisses Mr Danilov’s accusations and assures its readers that Hungary’s intelligence about Russian intentions and plans comes from Allied sources, rather than from Moscow. The pro-government website describes Mr Danilov’s claims as untrue and argues that Hungary was not informed by Russia about its intentions concerning Ukraine. Hungary’s only sources about such issues, Origo writes, are allied intelligence services. The United States briefed all NATO allies about these matters, the website continues, and Hungary was, in addition, also informed by Polish sources about Russia’s expected tactical and strategic moves.

Tags: Russia, Ukraine