Ukrainian Bank Employees Detained in Budapest
Hungarian authorities have detained seven employees of Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank in Budapest, who were transporting cash and gold. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the seizure of these seven Ukrainian citizens. The detained individuals are staff of the state bank who were carrying out a routine interbank cash transfer operation between Austria and Ukraine. Their vehicle was found to contain $40 million, €35 million, and approximately 9 kilograms of gold.
Ukraine has already sent an official note demanding the immediate release of the detainees. Andrii Sybiha, a representative of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated:
"These seven Ukrainians are employees of the state Oschadbank who were driving two bank vehicles that regularly travel between Austria and Ukraine, transporting cash as part of standard transfers between state banks."
He added that Ukraine will appeal to the European Union to clearly qualify Hungary's actions as illegal, constituting hostage-taking and robbery. This incident occurs amidst a period of significant strain in bilateral relations, partly driven by Hungary's stance on the war in Ukraine and its energy policies.
Political Context
Simultaneously, in a statement on March 5, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed a willingness to use force to compel Ukraine to resume the transit of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline. He noted, "Zelenskyy expects Hungary to be grateful to Ukraine, while the pipeline supplying oil to Hungary is closed."
The reasons for the Ukrainians' detention, as well as their current health status and ability to communicate, remain unknown. This situation reflects a sharp escalation in relations between Ukraine and Hungary against a backdrop of regional economic and political tensions. The detention of the Ukrainian bank employees could have serious negative consequences for bilateral relations, especially given Ukraine's likely appeal to international organizations to protect its citizens' rights. The events surrounding oil transit also highlight the complex geopolitical interests affecting relations between the two countries, which require careful monitoring and further analysis.