Ukraine demands ‘immediate release’ of seven citizens ‘taken hostage’, as Hungary confirms their detention – Europe live
Hungary confirms detaining seven people as part of alleged money laundering probe
The Hungarian tax authority has just confirmed it detained seven people and two cash-in-transit vehicles coming from Austria towards Ukraine, saying it is pursuing criminal proceedings on suspicion of money laundering.
The contents of their transit has also been confirmed as per earlier statement by Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank.
But the authority pointedly said that one of the seven men arrested was a former general of the Ukrainian intelligence services, Hungarian media reported.
In a statement quoted by Index.hu, the authority claimed it had informed the Ukrainian consular authorities of the move, but received no response.
Key events
Hungary’s opposition leader urges Zelenskyy to withdraw Orbán comments
Meanwhile, the leader of the Hungarian opposition, Péter Magyar, sided with Orbán in his criticism of Zelenskyy’s comments, which appeared to include a threat against him (10:17).
Speaking at a rally of his Tisza party, currently leading in the polls ahead of next month’s elections, he said:
“The Ukrainian president has threatened prime minister Viktor Orbán. Let me make it clear that no one, not a single Hungarian, can be threatened by a foreign head of state. Not the outgoing Orban government, nor the future Tisza government, not a single Hungarian.
So during my campaign tour, I call on the Ukrainian president to clarify his words, and, if he really said that, then to withdraw it.”
Meanwhile, Poland’s foreign minister Radosław Sikorski taunted Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán on social media, responding to a separate media report alleging that Russian military intelligence GRU is expected to be involved in running a pro-government campaign ahead of next month’s parliamentary election in Hungary.
“To get electoral support simultaneously from Maga and GRU is no mean feat. But is Viktor fighting for Hungarian sovereignty or volunteering to make it a condominium?,” he asked.
Ukraine advises against travel to Hungary after arrest of bank staff
On the back of the detention of seven Ukrainian citizens, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said it advises Ukrainians against travel to Hungary “due to the inability to guarantee their safety amid arbitrary actions by the Hungarian authorities.”
Expect them to try to raise it with the EU in the coming hours.
Ukraine demands ‘immediate release’ of seven detained citizens, foreign minister says
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that “Ukrainian consuls have still not been permitted access to the seven Ukrainian citizens taken hostage in Budapest.”
“The Hungarian side has not provided any explanation. We demand their immediate release and prepare next actions, including at the EU level,” he added.
Hungary confirms detaining seven people as part of alleged money laundering probe
The Hungarian tax authority has just confirmed it detained seven people and two cash-in-transit vehicles coming from Austria towards Ukraine, saying it is pursuing criminal proceedings on suspicion of money laundering.
The contents of their transit has also been confirmed as per earlier statement by Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank.
But the authority pointedly said that one of the seven men arrested was a former general of the Ukrainian intelligence services, Hungarian media reported.
In a statement quoted by Index.hu, the authority claimed it had informed the Ukrainian consular authorities of the move, but received no response.
Morning opening: Tensions between Hungary and Ukraine grow ahead of key election
Jakub Krupa
Hungary will use “every means” to force a favourable solution in an escalating row with neighbouring Ukraine over stalled Russian oil supplies to Budapest and Bratislava, prime minister Viktor Orbán this morning.
His comments come as the neighbouring countries are locked in dispute over the temporary closure of the Druzhba pipeline which pumps Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, and which Kyiv says was damaged by Russian strikes in January.
In response, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán blocked the payment of a €90bn EU loan to Ukraine and adoption of the latest round of sanctions against Russia last month.
But in recent weeks, the tensions grew further, with Orbán regularly using disparaging references to Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his domestic campaign ahead of next month’s high-stakes parliamentary election, which could see him out of power after 16 years.
Yesterday, Orbán accused Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy of threatening him after the Ukrainian president told a government meeting in Kyiv:
“We hope that one person in the European Union will not block the €90bn and that Ukrainian fighters will receive weapons; otherwise, we will give this person’s address to our guys so they can call him and speak to him in their language.”
Orbán said on social media that Zelenskyy’s words were “not about me – he is threatening Hungary.”
Later in the evening, Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha claimed Hungary “took hostage” seven employees of a state-owned Ukrainian bank Oschadbank who were transporting $40m, €35m and 9 kg of gold from Austria to Ukraine via Hungary.
“The reasons are still unknown, as well as their current wellbeing, or the possibility of contacting them,” he said.
Oschadbank confirmed that their vehicle’s GPS indicated it was parked near a law enforcement agency in central Budapest. It demanded the immediate release of its employees and property.
But this morning Orbán went further, telling state radio that Hungary would be prepared to stop all shipments for Ukraine going through its territory.
“The Ukrainians will run out of money sooner than we run out of oil,” he said.
He was also publicly backed by Slovak prime minister Robert Fico, who urged senior EU leaders to “distance themselves from these outrageous blackmailing statements” by Zelenskyy.
Let’s see what comes out of that.
I will also keep an eye on the latest on European evacuation flights from the Middle East and on Cyprus.
It’s Friday, 6 March 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.