Kyiv Summons Hungary’s Diplomat Over Alleged Russian Transfer of Ukrainian POWs

Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs stated it will summon Hungary’s chargé d’affaires over Moscow’s claims that Russia would transfer Ukrainian prisoners to Hungary, according to RBC-Ukraine on March 4.

The ministry said it had seen statements about an alleged handover of several Ukrainian prisoners, but Ukraine had not been given any information.

It said the Hungarian diplomat will be invited to provide verified details. Ukraine will also request access to the people who were returned, the statement said.

The agency said the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, told Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on March 4 that two Ukrainians in Russian captivity would be released.

Putin said he discussed the issue on March 3 in a conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and the prisoners were described as having both Ukrainian and Hungarian citizenship.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs accused Moscow and Budapest of politicizing the issue of prisoners of war.

“The cynicism is striking,” it stated, adding that the release of people was being used as “political PR” ahead of elections in Hungary.

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At the same time, Ukraine pushed back against criticism from Hungary and Slovakia over a halt affecting flows on the Druzhba pipeline, saying the disruption followed a Russian drone strike.

Kyiv stated that Moscow’s attack damaged energy infrastructure and created safety and operational risks, arguing Ukraine cannot guarantee uninterrupted transit under repeated strikes, the report said.

The dispute has heightened tensions with the two EU states, as Ukraine frames the stoppage as a wartime consequence of Russian attacks rather than a political decision.

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