Zelenskyy: Ready to work with any Hungarian leader who is not Putin's ally
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to work with any leader of Hungary who is not an ally of Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin.
Source: Zelenskyy speaking with journalists, as cited by Ukrinform and reported by European Pravda
Details: Zelenskyy said the current Hungarian government is spreading anti-Ukrainian sentiments among Hungarian society.
Quote: "Under no circumstances do we spread negativity, hatred or disrespect towards the people of Hungary or towards the national minority who are citizens of our state. Everyone knows this. Unlike what is happening in Hungary at the initiative of the current government."
Details: Zelenskyy added that he cannot say what will happen if or when Hungary's leadership changes, but stated that he is ready to cooperate with any leader who is not an ally of Putin.
Quote: "We will work with any leadership of Hungary, with any person in Hungary who wants to work, live in peace with Ukraine, not block our geopolitical choice and be good neighbours. We are ready to work in a friendly manner if that person is not an ally of Putin, the aggressor state."
Background:
- On 14 March, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed that Ukraine had been "blackmailing" Hungary for 19 days by refusing to resume oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline
- Investigative journalists found that Russia sent a group of political strategists operating from the Russian embassy in Budapest to conduct a disinformation campaign and interfere in Hungary's parliamentary elections.
- New opinion polls ahead of Hungary's parliamentary elections show growing support for Orbán's Fidesz party, though the opposition party Tisza still leads by a margin of 14 percentage points.
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