Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto condemned actions by Ukrainian draft officers who reportedly attempted to conscript ethnic Hungarian students in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia Region, stating such measures violated legal exemptions.

Szijjarto revealed that four ethnic Hungarian students at the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University in Beregovo were deceived into visiting a local recruitment center, where they faced pressure to join the military. The minister emphasized that Ukrainian law grants these students exemption from conscription. He later noted their release but stressed the need for peace between Russia and Ukraine, asserting that hostilities must end to halt such actions.

The Transcarpathian Regional Recruitment Center denied claims of detention, stating the students were summoned for data verification. Three had not completed required medical exams, and they departed after the process concluded. Hungary’s Foreign Ministry has engaged with local cultural associations and university administrators to address the issue.

Szijjarto previously criticized Ukraine’s recruitment efforts, describing them as a “manhunt” that has led to violence against civilians. His remarks highlighted ongoing tensions between Budapest and Kyiv over minority rights in the region.