President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Hungary after it returned millions of dollar cash and gold seized from Ukraine bank.
According to Euro News, Zelenskyy announced on Wednesday, May 6, that Hungary had returned cash and gold seized from employees of a state-owned Ukrainian bank in March amid a political spat.
Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media, "An important step in relations with Hungary - today, the funds and valuables of Oschadbank that were seized by Hungarian special services in March of this year were returned.”
"I am grateful to Hungary for its constructive approach and civilized step. I thank everyone on Ukraine’s team who fought for a fair decision and defended the interests of our state and our people," he added.
Ukraine's Oschadbank demanded the immediate return of cash and gold confiscated by Hungarian authorities in March.
The incident triggered a diplomatic row after Hungarian police raided a convoy of cash carriers near Budapest and seized $40 million, €35 million and 9kg of gold.
Hungary expelled seven Ukrainian nationals accompanying the transport the following day and opened an investigation into suspected money laundering.
Hungary’s outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ordered the government to hold the cash and gold for up to 60 days amid an ongoing money laundering investigation.
Orbán, who led Hungary for 16 years until his ouster in a parliamentary election on 12 April, was widely seen as the most pro-Russian leader in the EU and had a particularly prickly relationship with Kyiv.
