Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said a recent interview given by Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky has shown that he has a vested interest in having a "puppet government" in Hungary that would send "Hungarians' money to Ukraine", adding that the interview was "part of a harsh anti-Hungarian propaganda".
Responding to questions at a press conference held together with his Croatian counterpart on an unrelated matter, Minister Szijjártó said Hungary had been facing similar propaganda from Kyiv for years.
A "puppet government sending Hungarians' money, weapons, and Hungarian soldiers to Ukraine" would be in Ukraine's interest, Minister Szijjártó said.
"The Hungarian people will have an opportunity to decide on that in 2026. The stakes of those elections will be whether there will be a pro-war, pro-Ukraine puppet government or a pro-peace national government that will ensure that Hungary stays out of the war," he said.
"We understand that it is in President Zelensky's interests that we are not in government, but that will be up to the Hungarian people."
Szijjarto also expressed his condolences to those involved in the "shocking" shooting incident in Graz earlier on Tuesday. "We are, naturally, sending our prayers to the families of those killed or injured," he said.
The government knows of no Hungarian victim, he added. "We have an honorary consul in place, and I would like to ask ... Hungarians to contact our consul or the embassy immediately if they were impacted, even indirectly; we will help," he said.