Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukraine of attempting to interfere in the upcoming elections in his country, and has asked the government's ambassador in Kiev to come to the Foreign Ministry in Budapest.
It is another step by Orban in an already long-running anti-Ukrainian campaign in which he is trying to convince voters that the neighboring country, which has been under the brunt of a Russian invasion since February 2022, poses an existential threat to Hungary's security and sovereignty.
Orban maintains close ties with Russia, and now faces the biggest challenge of his 16-year rule - elections scheduled for April 12.
With his right-wing nationalist party Fidesz lagging behind the frontrunners in most polls by double-digit percentages, Orban is campaigning on the unfounded premise that Hungarians will be forcibly conscripted to fight in Ukraine against Russia if his party loses the election.
In a video post on social media, Orban claims that Ukraine's political leaders, "including the president (Volodymyr Zelensky) himself, are making disgustingly offensive and threatening statements against Hungary and the Hungarian government."
Orban did not specify which statements were in question.
"Our national security services have assessed this latest Ukrainian attack and determined that what is happening is part of a coordinated series of Ukrainian measures aimed at interfering in the Hungarian elections," Orban said, adding that he had instructed the foreign minister to summon the Ukrainian ambassador for talks.
Orban intensified his anti-Ukrainian campaign last year, and accuses his election opponent, Petar Magyar - without evidence - of entering into a pact with Kiev to overthrow his government in order to install a pro-Western, pro-Ukrainian government.
The Hungarian government under Orban strongly opposes financial and military aid to Ukraine and threatens to veto any attempt by the European Union to admit Ukraine to EU membership.
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