The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that they expect a prompt response from Hungary and official confirmation that the two servicemen with Ukrainian and Hungarian citizenship who were released from Russian captivity “will be given complete freedom to choose their place of residence and further plans.”
This was reported by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry following a conversation with the acting chargé d'affaires of the Hungarian Embassy in Kyiv.
They say that during a conversation with a Hungarian diplomat, the Ukrainian side emphasized “the inadmissibility of PR and politicization of sensitive issues” in connection with the transfer of several Ukrainian prisoners of war to Hungary by the Russian Federation without any prior notification or coordination with Kyiv.
“The Ukrainian side reiterated its demand to ensure that the returned servicemen have the opportunity to contact Ukrainian consular officers to check their health, provide consular assistance, and guarantee the opportunity to freely determine their future without external pressure or coercion,” the Foreign Ministry noted.
The department also noted that they expect a “prompt response” from the Hungarian side and official confirmation that both those released from Russian captivity “will be given complete freedom to choose their place of residence and further plans.”
The day before, the Hungarian Foreign Minister, in a video message on his Facebook page, expressed his outrage over the fact that official Kyiv summoned a Hungarian diplomat for a conversation. Among other things, he stated that the Ukrainians “made a scandal” because “the lives of two people were saved.”
“Let this be a clear signal to Ukrainians: leave the Hungarians alone. Leave alone those people whom you (Ukrainians — ed.) forcibly took to the war, and whom we saved! Get rid of them, you have nothing to do with these people,” he said.
Szijjártó added that Budapest will continue to “help every Hungarian who gets into trouble” and “work to keep Hungary out of this war.”