Liverpool’s Milos Kerkez Breaks Silence After Being Named ‘Enemy of Ukraine’

· GiveMeSport

One Liverpool player has been caught in a political storm, forcing his country's foreign minister to step in.

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Football and politics, as shown by the 2026 World Cup , often find a way to overlap. One Liverpool star has recently found that out after being named an 'enemy of Ukraine'.

The European nation has been at war with Russia since 2022, when Vladimir Putin invaded in an attempt to control the country and remove its government.

Since then, Russian teams have been banned from UEFA and FIFA competitions , such as the Champions League and World Cup. The latest political dispute involving Ukraine and football has seen Liverpool defender Milos Kerkez caught in the middle of a storm.

The Hungary international, who was born in Serbia, featured in a UEFA Nations League match against Ukraine during this international break. The left-back got involved in a scuffle during the match, which has since sparked outrage.

Kerkez stepped in when his Hungary and Liverpool teammate Dominik Szoboszlai got into a heated confrontation with Ukraine's Victor Tsygankov. The backlash in Ukraine has involved 'possible threats' to the defender, according to the Hungarian foreign minister, who had to step in.

Making matters worse, Kerkez's father reportedly posted an Instagram story showing the incident between his son and the Ukrainian player. He included the song 'Russian Paradise', which many took as a hint towards the war between Russia and Ukraine.

As a result, both Kerkez and his dad were added to Myrotvorets, a list of 'enemies of Ukraine' which includes pictures and details on the individuals.

Kerkez has been prompted to speak out about the incident before Monday's return fixture between the two sides. The 22-year-old was suspended for the game, but still addressed the confrontation in the previous match.

He said (according to Hungarian outlet HVG ):

> "I, personally, have never supported and do not support any aggression in my life! I am not a person who considers anything that harms others acceptable! > > "However, there is always tension in a football match, and in the match against Ukraine, all I did was defend our captain, my friend, and I would have done this even if any other country had been our opponent."

Anita Orban, Hungary's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, strongly condemned the inclusion of the Kerkez duo. She wrote on social media (per The Sun ):

> "I strongly condemn the stigmatisation, any form of blacklisting, and any potential threats directed at Hungarian citizens Milos Kerkez and Balazs Hidveghi. > > "Throughout the weekend, alongside the government meeting, I was in constant consultation with Ukrainian government representatives, the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ), the embassy, and my colleagues to ensure that all parties involved took action within their respective spheres to resolve the situation. > > "Sport should be about performance, community, and respect. I thank the two national associations for their cooperation."

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