Hungary Condemns Russian Attacks on Transcarpathia; Zelensky Thanks PM Magyar

The new Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Peter Magyar, has strongly condemned recent Russian drone attacks on the Transcarpathia region of Ukraine. This area is home to a significant ethnic Hungarian population. In a notable diplomatic shift from previous administrations, Budapest summoned the Russian ambassador to demand explanations for the strikes, marking the first such protest by Hungary since the war began in 2022. Foreign Minister Anita Orban led the diplomatic complaint, while President Tamas Sulyok and former ruling party Fidesz also denounced the violence. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly thanked Magyar for his stance, emphasizing the need for a common position to end the conflict. The attacks, described by local officials as the most intense since the full-scale invasion, targeted critical infrastructure. This development highlights a potential realignment in Hungarian foreign policy under Magyar’s Tisza party, which recently defeated Viktor Orban’s long-standing government. Orban had previously maintained close ties with Russia, but the new administration appears to be adopting a firmer posture regarding security threats near its borders and the safety of ethnic Hungarians abroad.