Hungary has returned cash transport vehicles that were seized by its authorities to Ukraine, but has decided to retain the gold and money discovered during the confiscation. These assets are owned by the Ukrainian bank 'Oschadbank'. The incident occurred on March 5, when seven bank employees were arrested while crossing Hungarian territory from Austria to Ukraine. Although they were released and expelled from Hungary two days later, the financial assets remained on Hungarian soil.

The Hungarian Minister of Transport, János Lázár, has implied that the confiscation of Ukrainian-owned assets is linked to the cessation of Russian oil supplies to Hungary through Ukrainian territory. Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have deteriorated in recent weeks, as Budapest accuses Kyiv of halting operations of the oil pipeline 'Druzba'. This shutdown has interrupted the supply of Russian crude oil to Hungary, which Ukraine claims was damaged due to a Russian attack. Restoration of the pipeline's operations is expected to take about a month.

In turn, Hungary and Slovakia accuse Ukraine of intentionally disrupting the pipeline's function. This escalating tension highlights the complicated geopolitical dynamics in the region, particularly regarding energy supplies and the ongoing conflict involving Russia. As both countries navigate these tensions, the implications for regional cooperation and security continue to evolve, with energy dependencies at the forefront of the conflict.