Hungary Summons Russian Ambassador Over Drone Attacks on Western Ukraine
Hungary's Diplomatic Response to Russian Drone Strikes
Background of the Incident
BUDAPEST, May 13 (Reuters) - Hungary has summoned Russia's ambassador over a drone attack on western Ukraine, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Wednesday.
Russia unleashed a daytime drone attack on Ukraine earlier on Wednesday, targeting critical infrastructure and killing at least three people in the west and prompting NATO-member Poland to scramble fighter jets.
Hungary's Official Actions
Summoning the Russian Ambassador
The Russian ambassador has been summoned to the foreign ministry on Thursday morning to meet foreign minister Anita Orban, Magyar said during a press conference following the first cabinet meeting of the new Hungarian government.
Condemnation and Demands
Orban will condemn the attack at the meeting and ask the ambassador when Russia plans to end the more than four-year-old war with Ukraine, he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Orban said in a Facebook video that Hungary "deeply condemns" Russian drone strikes on ethnic Hungarian regions in western Ukraine.
Reactions and Context
Russian Embassy's Response
Russia's embassy in Budapest did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Hungary's Historical Relations with Russia
Past Government Ties
Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government maintained a close relationship with Moscow even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs, Jason Hovet and Anita Komuves; Writing by Karol Badohal; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
