Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Rebukes Hungary’s Orban Over Sovereignty and Drone Incident

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga commented on statements by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban regarding Ukraine’s sovereignty. Orban expressed the view that Ukraine is not a sovereign state, and also voiced doubts about the incident with Hungarian drones in Ukrainian airspace. The comment was published on a social media platform.

“The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Sibiga said that the Prime Minister of Hungary is ‘drunk on’ Russian propaganda.”

According to Sibiga, Orban allegedly acknowledged the existence of the incident with the Hungarian drones, but expressed the belief that Ukraine should not act as an independent state. Also in his remarks he underscored statements that Hungary, as a NATO member, does not threaten Ukraine, but Ukraine should pay more attention to the eastern border.

“The question is not whether two, three, or four Hungarian drones flew by or not. Suppose they flew there a few meters, and what next? Ukraine is not a sovereign, independent country; we support Ukraine; it should not act as if it were sovereign.”

“If the West tomorrow decides not to give a single forint (Hungary’s currency – ed.), Ukraine could shut itself off. This is not what it should be worrying about”

“Likely, these were Hungarian drones. The drones could have been conducting reconnaissance of the industrial potential in Ukrainian border areas”

On September 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian forces had recorded reconnaissance drone incursions into the airspace, presumably these were Hungarian drones. Such actions could have aimed to gather data on the industrial potential of border regions. The Hungarian Ministry of Defense dismissed these statements as unreliable and said they had not received confirmation from Ukrainian partners, while stressing readiness to maintain contacts with Ukrainians.

On September 27, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga released an image of a map showing the route of a Hungarian drone which, according to preliminary information, could have crossed the border between Ukraine and Hungary. This event highlights the rising tension in bilateral relations and the importance of official clarifications from both sides.

Context and possible consequences

Experts note that further statements and steps by Hungary and Ukraine will influence perceptions of the security situation in the region, interactions with NATO, and the overall tone of relations between the countries. The government continues to emphasize Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also calling for rational and constructive dialogue with Brussels and other partners.

Thus, the development of events in bilateral relations requires careful analysis and appropriate official steps by both countries to maintain regional stability and prevent escalation in the airspace and along state borders.