Ukraine’s foreign ministry has introduced a Hungarian-language online radio broadcast, which aims to address what it describes as “absurd statements” made by Hungarian officials regarding Ukraine. The service, available around the clock, seeks to communicate Kyiv’s official position directly to Hungarian audiences.
According to spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, Ukrainian diplomats had grown weary of responding individually to repeated claims. Instead, they opted for a continuous audio platform to present their stance in a clear and accessible format.
Countering “propaganda” narratives
The broadcast features a short message repeated in Hungarian, English, and Ukrainian, reportedly voiced by artificial intelligence. In it, Kyiv rejects what it calls manipulative narratives associated with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his political circle, writes TVP World. They argue that such claims attempt to draw Ukraine into Hungary’s domestic political debates, particularly during election campaigns.
The message also emphasises that Ukraine does not harbour hostile intentions towards Hungary and urges listeners to be cautious of what it describes as anti-Ukrainian propaganda. It reiterates Kyiv’s commitment to maintaining good neighbourly relations and its strategic goal of joining the European Union and NATO.
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Tensions amid political and energy disputes
The launch comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Budapest and Kyiv. Relations have been strained by disputes over energy supplies, particularly disruptions to the Druzhba pipeline, as well as differing narratives surrounding the war in Ukraine.
Hungary has also been critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has become a frequent target in Hungarian government-aligned messaging. Meanwhile, Orbán has framed Hungary’s political landscape as a choice between peace and war, a theme central to the ongoing election campaign. With the new radio initiative, Ukraine is approaching a direct way to influence public discourse beyond its borders.
Featured image: Orbán Viktor/Facebook
Ukraine should have already done this years ago. Hungary was bought by Putin in return for making the Fidesz elite wealthy. In return for making the Fidesz elite wealthy they are obligated to promote Russia’s interests and that means assisting Russia in the subjugation of Ukraine. Fidesz has doen this for years using its’ veto powers in the EU and NATO. Fidesz at the same time needs to have Hungarian public opinion on its’ side while it works against Ukraine and against EU and NATO cohesion. This creates a need to foster a continuously negative propaganda campaign against Ukraine pushed through Fidesz controlled media. Hungarians have been brainwashed to hate Ukraine and Ukraine needs to counter this brainwashing but one on-line radio channel is not going to achieve much.
Hello Larry, Fortunately for the Hungarians these days, the only Russians are the ones constantly running around in your brain. The Hungarians had 40 miserable years of Communism and to reflect correctly, it was Victor Orban who publicly at the age of 25, representing Fidesz in 1988 at Imre Nagy’s reburial ceremony (martyred by the communists in 1956/57) called out the communist leaders of the then Hungary to initiate the withdrawal of the Russian army who had been occupying Hungary since WW2. Revisionist historian don’t like to hear these these truths…. just for some additional context it was Victor Orban and 4 other young Fidesz party leaders that were publicly named on the Hungarian communist national TV channel as enemies of the then Hungarian Communist (soviet backed) state. Fidesz have been defending Hungary and Hungarian interests since since its inception on the 30 March 1988 which is exactly 38 years and 5 days ago (04/04/2026) what a legacy, I am looking forward to reading the ‘letters to Viktor’ book if its published in the English language..
Fidesz did good for Hungary in their first decade of political work. But last 20+ years Fidesz has been hindering Hungarys development, even taking us backwards with their firm pro-Russia, corruption, nepotism and very conservative religious stance. So much that the modern age bright young generation has been leaving our country en masse due to Fidesz and will continue to do so if Fidesz continues in power. I hope this development will be changed with the upcoming election results. A change is definitely needed.
Sadly it seems that Fidesz legacy will ultimately be remembered by their pro-Russian/anti-EU stance and corruption.
Excuse me Owen but who removed the 1956 memorial and the memorial for Nagy Imre from the area of Parliament? That tells you everything you need to know about Orban allying himself with Russia. Orban is a naked opportunist.
Szijjarto to Lavrov: “I am always at your disposal”. Do those words mean anything to you when they are said to the Russian foreign minister Owen?
Alas, he spoke what he believed the audience wanted to hear. He himself didn’t believe a word of it. Had he been born earlier, he’d have become a dedicated member of the Communist party while serving Janos Kadar as that would have advanced his (red) star at that point in time. The moment he spotted an opportunity to sieze the advantage while parotting a new line, he took it. Of course, there’s also the possibility that this was his view all along and his supposedly liberal, anti-Russian, anti-Communist inclinations were a ruse at Imre Nagy’s burial. Either way, inconsistency, confusion and a desire to please the crowd appears to be his trademark. And he’s very good at it, as all successful con men are, but this terminates here, all change.
Considering the circumstances, Ukraine has been remarkably tolerant of the Orban government’s verbal attacks and EU / NATO politics. I’m surprised that Ukraine didn’t set up a Hungarian language radio station in Transcarpathia years ago. Perhaps they should have done the same thing with other minorities; especially the Russian speaking area of the East / Southeast. Some would say this is simply spreading “propaganda”, but countering propaganda with propaganda is still better than not responding at all.