Ukraine asks Hungary to return the funds and the confiscated gold bars.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiga, has demanded the immediate return of tens of millions of euros and dollars in cash and the gold bars confiscated by Hungary after intercepting two armored vans heading to Ukraine from Austria. Hungarian authorities stopped the vehicles and found 40 million dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold. Seven Ukrainians who were accompanying the transport were detained and later released, but the valuables were not returned.

Kiev claims that the money belongs to the state bank Oschadbank and Ukrainian taxpayers and accuses Hungary of "banditry and extortion," calling on European partners to condemn the situation. Budapest asserts that the transport was confiscated to investigate a possible money laundering case, suggesting that the valuables could be linked to the "Ukrainian war mafia" or to financing individuals in Hungary. The incident occurs against the backdrop of tensions between Kiev and Budapest regarding EU financial aid and the Druzhba oil pipeline.