Hungary’s Prime Minister Seeks a Meeting with Zelenskyy in Berehove

Hungary-Ukraine Talks on the Horizon

According to Главком: Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has expressed hope for a face-to-face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berehove, a town in western Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region. Budapest has already begun consultations with Kyiv concerning the rights of the Hungarian minority in the area, focusing on language and other entitlements, with the goal of ensuring they receive the same protections as minorities elsewhere in the European Union.

Magyar stated: 'We have already signaled the Ukrainian side and even started working-level consultations on the rights of the Hungarian minority-linguistic and otherwise-so that they, too, may receive everything that others in the European Union have.'

He added that he hopes 'this series of working negotiations will conclude quickly, and, as I proposed, we will likely be able to meet with President Zelenskyy in Berehove in Transcarpathia, where Hungarians make up a significant portion of the population.'

Consultations between Kyiv and Budapest have already begun, with Hungary signaling its readiness for dialogue. The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Hungary have initiated expert-level discussions. Notably, Hungary has stated it will only agree to open the first negotiation cluster, titled 'Fundamentals,' in Ukraine’s EU accession talks once the Hungarian minority issue is resolved.

Hungary Takes an Active Stance

Additionally, Hungary has condemned recent Russian strikes, including those that hit Transcarpathia. This reflects Budapest’s proactive position on regional developments and its desire for constructive engagement with Ukraine.

These Ukraine-Hungary consultations are significant as they could improve bilateral relations and foster stability in Transcarpathia, home to a large Hungarian community. Resolving the rights of ethnic Hungarians may also influence Ukraine’s future EU negotiations, given Hungary’s willingness to support progress only after reaching agreements with Kyiv.

As these consultations progress, the focus on the rights of the Hungarian minority highlights a pivotal moment in Hungary-Ukraine relations. For more insights on the ongoing discussions aimed at facilitating Ukraine's EU accession process, you can read about the expert-level talks that have recently commenced.