Hungary Sparks Row With Kyiv After Seizing $81 Million in Cash, Gold, Arresting 7 Ukrainians

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto speaks to the press as he arrives for the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Feb. 23, 2026. John Thys/AFP via Getty ImagesHungarian authorities said on March 6 that they had detained seven Ukrainian citizens, including a former intelligence officer, on suspicion of money laundering and seized two armored cars carrying $80 million in cash and $1.5 million worth of gold.“We demand immediate answers from Kyiv regarding large cash shipments passing through Hungary that raise serious questions about a possible link to the Ukrainian war mafia,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto posted on X