Inside and Outside Forces Drive Anti-EU and Anti-Ukraine Messaging in Hungarian Elections

Hungarian authorities seized a Ukrainian bank transporter on the way from Austria to Ukraine. Hungarian politicians claimed that the transporter could be part of a money laundering scheme or “connected to the Ukrainian war mafia.” Ukrainian authorities denied this and stated that all the correct documents were filled out.

According to Ukrainian officials, the transporter belonged to a state owned financial institution and was carrying funds between banking facilities. Despite experts’ comments that such transports are not an unusual process, and the fact that hiding illegal money would be much easier and less noticeable in a normal vehicle, populist parties and social media, not only in Hungary, spoke about a “scandal.”

The detained personnel were later released and allowed to return to Ukraine, and the vehicle was also returned. Hungarian authorities, however, retained the transported cash and gold as part of an ongoing investigation. Officials stated that the case is being examined under financial and customs regulations related to the cross border transport of large amounts of money.

Later, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó linked Hungary’s position on Ukraine more broadly to the Druzhba pipeline dispute. “Hungary will continue blocking a 90 billion euro ($103 billion) loan for Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia as long as oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline remain suspended,” Szijjártó said on Monday in Brussels (Reuters, 16 March 2026). The escalation followed harsh statements by Orbán against Ukraine and by Zelensky against Orbán. These remarks further increased tensions between the two governments, which have already been strained by disputes over energy policy and Hungary’s relations with Russia.

This also led to a pro Orbán rally in Budapest in front of the Ukrainian embassy. A couple of hundred people, much fewer than at the mass pro and anti Orbán rallies we saw recently, gathered on the outskirts of Budapest. During the rally, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó held a speech, and some people carried signs with a caricature of President Zelensky holding opposition politician Péter Magyar as a puppet.

Such imagery is not unusual in the current election campaign against Ukraine and the opposition, which is highly focused on demonizing Ukraine and EU politicians. Another advertisement shows Magyar as a “two faced” character, similar to the character in the Batman franchise, with one half of the face being his own and the other representing Ukrainian and EU interests, shown by flags and other symbols.

Across Budapest, billboards show Ukrainian President Zelensky with the message: “Don’t let Zelensky have the last laugh.” Some posters include not only Zelensky but also EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Manfred Weber.

Beside all the anti EU and anti Zelensky advertisements, small unofficial posters could also
be seen in some parts of the city showing Orbán shaking Vladimir Putin’s hand. Even without understanding Hungarian, the reference to the year 1956, the year of the Soviet invasion of Hungary, clearly suggests that these posters were placed by people critical of the Hungarian government’s current Russia policy.

During the escalation surrounding the bank transporter incident, reports also emerged that so called “political technologists” from Russia were coming to Hungary, supposedly to influence the elections. Analysts point out that foreign political consultants have occasionally appeared in Central European election campaigns in the past. Russian interference, however, does not rely on physical presence alone when considering the established online and offline infrastructure that can be used to influence elections.

Critics have also warned for years that Orbán holds significant influence over Hungarian domestic media and that neither diversity nor press freedom is comparable to Western or Northern European standards. In the week following the incident with the bank transporter, large rallies on both sides took place in Budapest. One thing is certain: this election is not decided yet.

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/hungary-block-loan-ukraine-sanctions-until-druzhba-restarts-minister-says-2026-03-16

https://www.politico.eu/article/size-counts-hungary-viktor-orban-peter-magyar-major-rallies-test-election-strength/