Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summons Hungarian ambassador over banning of Ukrainian commander from Schengen zone

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced on Thursday evening on X that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had summoned the Hungarian ambassador. Antal Heizer was handed a letter of protest against Hungary's discrimination against the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, particularly in light of Péter Szijjártó's decision to ban Robert Brovdi, the leader of the Ukrainian attack on the Friendship (Druzhba) oil pipeline from Hungary and the Schengen area.

In his post, Sybiha noted that they are urging Hungary "to further refrain from unfriendly actions and instead engage in constructive dialogue, for which Ukraine remains ready. Sybiha had previously sent a message to his Hungarian counterpart saying that Hungary was on the wrong side of history, to which Szijjártó responded that this was not Hungary's war and that they were not responsible for it.

Robert Brovdi enlisted in the Ukrainian army on February 7, 2022, and was there at the siege of Kyiv, where he assisted in helping evacuate the population of several surrounding settlements from the embattled area. He spent a lot of time in the trenches, and it was during this time that he acquired his first drone, which he used to conduct reconnaissance missions to assist his unit. He then led a drone unit known as the "Hungarian's Birds" on the front lines, earning much acclaim, and his effective methods became increasingly popular among the Ukrainian fighters.

On Thursday, both President Volodymyr Zelensky and Brovdi himself responded to the Hungarian ban, with the latter telling Péter Szijjártó to “stick his sanctions and ban from Hungary up his ass.” Zelensky published a reaction to the situation in three languages, including Hungarian, in which he wrote that if this had indeed happened, it was outrageous, and instructed the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to investigate the background to the affair and to take the necessary steps as appropriate.