Hungary Seizes Ukrainian Bank Staff, Money, Gold in Escalation

Ukraine’s top envoy accused Hungary of unlawfully detaining seven employees of the country’s state-owned Oschadbank in Budapest, a significant escalation in tensions between the war-hit country and European Union member state.

The Ukrainian citizens were stopped in Budapest as they were transporting cash in two vehicles between Austria and Ukraine “as part of regular services between state banks,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X late Thursday. Ukraine had been granted no consular access to its citizens, he added.