Spy Rings and Propaganda: How Hungary Is Undermining Ukraine Inside the EU
Despite being a member of both the European Union and NATO, Hungary has emerged as a disruptive force within the Euro-Atlantic community, actively obstructing Ukraine’s path toward European integration.
This warning comes from Petro Oleshchuk, a political scientist and expert at the United Ukraine Think Tank, in his new analysis for The Gaze.
Under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Budapest has pursued a multi-dimensional strategy that combines intelligence operations, political subversion, and information warfare to destabilize Ukraine’s relations with the EU.
Recent revelations have significantly deepened concerns over Hungary’s role. In May 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) exposed a covert Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia – a region long viewed by Budapest as a sphere of cultural and political influence.
Oleshchuk emphasizes that the espionage incident underscores a deeper pattern. Over the past year, Hungary has not only distanced itself diplomatically but has become openly hostile.
Ukrainian diplomats have been expelled, bilateral consultations frozen, and official cooperation systematically undermined. Simultaneously, Budapest has ramped up its media-driven narrative portraying Ukraine as a dysfunctional, corrupt, and unstable neighbor.
But perhaps the most striking recent development is Hungary’s launch of a national referendum on Ukraine’s EU accession.
According to Oleshchuk, the campaign surrounding the vote is saturated with anti-Ukrainian propaganda, stoking fears about migration, economic instability, and national security.
Hungary’s behavior now represents more than political divergence, it is a strategic campaign to block Ukraine’s EU membership from within the European system.
Addressing this hybrid threat requires both diplomatic pushback and a clear-eyed reassessment of Hungary’s role inside the EU.