MEPs call on EU to respond to Hungary’s seizure of Ukrainian bank assets
Thirty-five members of the European Parliament have called on Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, to respond to the actions of Hungary, which detained Ukrainian cash collectors and seized funds belonging to Oschadbank.
According to Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister, who reported this on the social network X, the lawmakers expressed their concerns in a letter addressed to von der Leyen, Ukrinform reports.
In the letter, members of the European Parliament voiced “deep concern regarding the intolerable, illegal, and provocative actions of the Hungarian government,” which on March 5 detained Ukrainian cash-in-transit personnel and confiscated Oschadbank’s assets.
“We view this outrageous and hostile act against Ukraine – currently resisting Russian aggression while defending European values and freedoms and striving to meet the criteria for EU membership – as a violation of good neighborly relations,” the MEPs said.
They stressed that such actions cast a negative shadow over the entire European Union because they contradict EU customs procedures and international transport regulations
According to the lawmakers, the behavior of the Hungarian government and the ruling Fidesz party, which introduced a bill to legalize the seizure of Ukrainian assets, can only be described as “daylight robbery.”
They noted that Ukraine urgently needs financial and military support to defend itself against Russian aggression, and that Hungary’s actions weaken Ukraine and contradict the principles of European solidarity.
The MEPs therefore called on von der Leyen to take active steps to ensure a prompt resolution of the issue and urge the Hungarian government to return the money and gold to its rightful owner, Oschadbank.
They also expect the European Commission under her leadership to conduct a thorough assessment of Hungary’s actions, which they say represent a further degradation of the rule of law in the country.
“These actions must have clear and just consequences,” the lawmakers emphasized.
The MEPs expressed their readiness to cooperate toward urgent resolution of the matter and to provide all necessary support to Ukraine in its efforts to resist Russia’s war of aggression and secure a lasting and just peace.
Sybiha thanked the European lawmakers for what he called their clear stance on Hungary’s “banditism.”
“Such a strong statement reflects a principled European position in defense of the rule of law and our shared values. Hungary’s lawlessness has crossed all possible lines and it must be called out, not tolerated. In this regard, we rely on strong voices in Europe to take a principled stance,” the Ukrainian Foreign Minister wrote.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, in the early hours of March 6, Sybiha said Hungarian authorities in Budapest detained seven Ukrainian citizens – employees of Oschadbank – and seized the money they were transporting.
The collectors were later expelled from Hungary, but the cash and gold were unlawfully seized. To legalize the seizure, the Hungarian government quickly adopted a special resolution regarding the assets taken from the bank’s armored vehicles. The funds will remain under the control of Hungarian authorities while the investigation continues.
Photo: Freepik.com