**Ukraine Condemns Hungary for Banning Military Officials**
On July 17, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Adrii Sybiha strongly condemned the Hungarian government for banning three Ukrainian military officials from entering its territory. The move is seen as another example of Budapest’s increasing alignment with Russian interests.
According to a report by European Pravda, Hungarian authorities claimed that the banned officials were responsible for the death of a Hungarian citizen in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia Oblast. However, Ukraine has disputed this claim, stating that the cause of death was a pulmonary embolism and that the deceased is a Ukrainian citizen.
**Orban’s Ties to Russia**
The decision to ban the Ukrainian officials comes as no surprise given Hungary’s close ties with Russia. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been accused of parroting Russian propaganda narratives regarding Ukraine, making him one of President Vladimir Putin’s key allies in Europe.
Just days earlier, Orban called upon the EU to take action against Ukraine’s conscription practices in an interview published on July 15. This move is seen as a further attempt by Budapest to undermine Ukraine’s bid for EU membership.
**Low Turnout on Hungary’s National Consultation**
Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar has also weighed in on the issue, stating that Hungary’s national consultation on Ukraine’s accession to the EU had the lowest ever turnout at such a poll. Despite this, polling shows public support for Ukraine’s accession to the bloc remains high.
According to a poll held by Magyar’s opposition party, Tisza’s “Voice of the Nation,” which received over 1.1 million responses, 58.18% of participants supported Ukraine’s EU bid.
**Ukraine’s Response**
In response to Hungary’s decision, Ukraine has vowed to take appropriate action. Foreign Minister Adrii Sybiha took to social media to condemn the move, stating that Hungary’s actions are “unfounded and absurd” and that Ukraine will not tolerate such disrespect for its military.
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