Civil organizations gathered in Budapest on Sunday to mark the upcoming fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, calling for an end to the aggression. Approximately 200 people attended the demonstration.
Despite Hungary's political alignment, Ukrainian refugees report feeling welcomed. "Wherever Ukrainian refugees arrived, they were welcomed with love here in Hungary," a Ukrainian resident told Euronews, distinguishing the people from political leadership.
The Budapest City Council and Ukraine's embassy jointly held a commemoration. Ukraine's ambassador to Budapest detailed Russia's violations of international law and threats to European security.
Mayor Gergely Karácsony stated, "It is very important that we stand up for our Ukrainian friends, who are fighting not only for their own freedom, but for the possibility of a just peace in Europe." He criticized Fidesz's handling of the issue.
Alexandra Szentkirályi, representing Fidesz, countered that the mayor's focus was misplaced while Hungarian interests, such as the oil pipeline, were neglected and Hungarians were conscripted into the Ukrainian army.
An outdoor exhibition in central Budapest, "The Invisible Wounds of Ukrainian Childhood," also commemorates the war's victims through children's drawings.