Fresh friction has erupted between Budapest and Kyiv after Hungary's government said it was included in Ukraine's new Carpathian Eight (C8) regional forum without its approval. The spat, played out publicly on social media, underscores how fragile the recent thaw in bilateral ties remains.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha took to X to accuse Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar of continuing the confrontational line of his predecessor, Viktor Orbán. "What we've been hearing from Budapest lately leaves us confused. It seems that while Viktor Orbán is gone, his policies of obstructionism and isolationism continue to thrive," Sybiha wrote, adding that Magyar's remarks were needlessly confrontational. He nevertheless reiterated Ukraine's openness to "mutually beneficial, pragmatic and respectful bilateral cooperation."
Magyar responded directly, insisting that Hungary had never agreed to join the C8, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched last Friday to boost regional investment and cooperation in security, energy, and trade. "To claim that a sovereign country is a member of an international cooperation (Carpathian Integration) without prior consultation or consent of the country concerned is completely unacceptable," he wrote. He likened the situation to a local football team signing an unknown player from the neighbourhood without asking: "We don't know each other, but you are in it, and you have to bring the ball."
The diplomatic clash comes amid a broader reset in relations that has already hit snags. Under Orbán, who led Hungary for 16 years until earlier this year, Budapest was openly hostile to Kyiv, blocking EU aid packages and opposing the start of accession talks. After Magyar's election victory in April, Hungary lifted its veto and approved the opening of two negotiating clusters in exchange for guarantees on the language and education rights of the Hungarian minority in western Ukraine. But over the summer, Budapest reinstated its veto, citing insufficient progress on those minority rights.
Oil storage deal adds fuel to the fire
Tensions were further inflamed over the weekend when Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz announced an agreement with Hungarian oil and gas group MOL to build storage facilities on Hungarian territory, intended to safeguard supplies against potential Russian attacks. The deal drew sharp criticism from Orbán's Fidesz party, which called it a security threat, and a fierce rebuke from Magyar.
"Under my government, no such storage will be built at the Hungarian-Ukrainian border, or anywhere else," the prime minister said on Monday. He also warned MOL to consult the government before pursuing any such agreements, noting that the Hungarian state holds a 25% stake in the company. "MOL's practice is completely unacceptable; from now on, I expect the company to treat the Hungarian state as a 25% owner. We'll see what the consequences of this will be," he said.
The C8 forum, which aims to attract €9.4 billion in investment, saw Hungary's ambassador attend the summit but decline to sign the closing document, according to Hungarian news outlet Telex. That symbolic gesture reflects the wider standoff: Budapest wants to be consulted, not presented with a fait accompli.
The dispute also highlights the delicate balance Hungary is trying to strike under its new government. While Magyar has called for more pragmatic cooperation with Kyiv, his administration remains wary of being drawn into Ukraine's orbit, especially on energy security and minority rights. The recent Russian strikes across Ukraine have only heightened Kyiv's urgency to secure alternative energy routes, but Budapest's caution suggests that progress will be slow.
For Ukraine, the clash is a reminder that even with Orbán out of power, the road to deeper EU integration and regional cooperation runs through a Hungarian government that is still testing its own boundaries. As Sybiha put it, Ukraine remains willing to engage, but the ball—as Magyar might say—is now in Budapest's court.
