Hungary blocks 12 Ukrainian news sites in diplomatic retaliation

Hungary has blocked access to 12 Ukrainian news websites in a reciprocal move following Ukraine's earlier decision to block multiple Hungarian-language sites accused of spreading pro-Russian content and propaganda. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, described Ukraine's blocking of Hungarian media outlets as an unjustified attack, criticizing Ukraine for censoring sites that were critical of Western sanctions on Russia and military aid to Ukraine, while portraying the EU and NATO as fragmented and ineffective. Hungary views these measures as proportional responses within a broader diplomatic-media dispute, emphasizing concerns that Ukraine's censorship undermines its aspirations to join the European Union. The blocked Ukrainian outlets include widely read portals such as TSN, European Pravda, and Ukrayinska Pravda, while Ukraine targeted Hungarian sites like origo.hu and Demokrata. Analysts warn that these reciprocal restrictions could limit information access and complicate media relations between the two neighbors amid ongoing regional tensions. Hungary's relatively warmer relations with Russia compared to other EU and NATO members further contextualize the dispute, reflecting broader geopolitical complexities.