Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó delivers a joint press conference with the Czech Foreign Minister on January 19, 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic.
Michal Cizek / AFP
Hungary’s foreign minister said the government will push ahead with its national petition, vowing not to send any taxpayer money to finance Ukraine.
Hungary sharply criticized Ukraine on Wednesday, January 21st, after Kyiv summoned the Hungarian ambassador, a move Budapest described as a “crude interference” in its internal affairs. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the diplomatic step followed Hungary’s clear refusal to participate in an EU plan to spend around $800 billion over the next decade on financing Ukraine.
Speaking in Budapest ahead of a government meeting, Szijjártó said Ukraine had reacted to Hungary’s decision not to contribute Hungarian taxpayers’ money to the long-term war financing. According to the foreign minister, the ambassador was summoned in protest against a national petition launched by the Hungarian government opposing the proposed funding.
“We consider this a very crude interference in Hungary’s internal affairs,” Szijjártó said, stressing that decisions about how Hungarian public funds are spent must be made solely by Hungary. “Hungarian people’s money belongs in Hungary and should be used to develop the country and support Hungarian families,” he added.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced the petition earlier, describing the EU’s proposal as a “Brussels war plan.” Orbán said Ukraine is seeking roughly $800 billion from Europe over ten years, a burden he argues would be passed on to EU member states. He warned that accepting the plan would mean years of higher energy costs and what he termed a “war levy” instead of investment in domestic priorities.
Szijjártó also criticized Ukraine for reportedly restricting travel and visits by Hungarian officials to Transcarpathia, calling it an anti-Hungarian move that contradicts European values and harms contact with the Hungarian minority living there.
Despite the escalating tensions, Szijjártó said Hungary will proceed with the petition and maintain its position.
“As long as there is a sovereign, national government in Budapest, we will not send even a single forint of Hungarian people’s money to finance Ukraine,” he said.
