Ukraine has reportedly funded a smear campaign aimed at discrediting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, according to Hungary’s National Security Committee. Máté Kocsis, leader of the Fidesz faction, revealed that Hungarian intelligence gathered information on a Ukrainian operation to damage Orbán’s international standing and weaken Hungary’s political leverage.
This isn’t a first for Hungary, as previous governments have been the target of similar campaigns, often fueled by foreign entities. Now, with a shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Trump, Zelensky seems to be taking matters into his own hands. It’s believed that Ukraine may be using foreign aid money to fund this initiative, given their reliance on international support.
Orbán, known for advocating peace in the Ukraine conflict, has notably met with Trump to discuss speeding up peace talks, which Ukraine fears could lead to concessions to Russia. Levente Boros Bánk from the Nézőpont Institute claims that the goal of the Ukrainian operation is to stir confusion and assist Hungarian opposition groups in destabilizing Orbán’s government.
Hungarian media outlets are reportedly involved in spreading this disinformation, with some allegedly taking Ukrainian funds to do so. Zoltán Kovács, Hungary’s secretary of state for international communication, expressed frustration at those taking money to promote anti-government narratives, calling them sellouts.
Boros Bánk further pointed out that Ukraine is running similar operations to incite unrest in Slovakia and Serbia, both of which share Hungary’s stance on issues like migration and peace in Ukraine. The Ukrainian move to stop gas transit from Russia is also expected to hurt Ukraine more than it harms Russia, adding further tension to the situation.
