Magyar meets Zelenskyy as Hungary and Ukraine seek reset
The talks followed Hungary’s withdrawal of objections to further EU accession negotiations after Ukraine adopted minority education legislation.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held their first bilateral talks alongside a European Council meeting, following months of discussions about where and when to meet. Both governments see the encounter as an opportunity to repair strained relations.
Ukraine’s parliament approved minority education legislation, which Zelenskyy then signed into law. Hungary subsequently lifted its objections to opening negotiations on two more EU accession clusters, taking the number opened to four of the six.
Magyar said Ukraine’s adoption of the law and the immediate start of its implementation represented an initial move towards rebuilding trust. He also expressed solidarity with Ukraine over Russia’s aggression and said ministerial discussions were expected to follow.
Since his Tisza Party won the election, Magyar has promised a more pragmatic relationship with Kyiv. His government nevertheless continues to make further progress towards EU membership conditional on Ukraine fulfilling minority-rights commitments. His predecessor, Viktor Orbán, opposed Ukrainian accession.
Magyar said another meeting could be held in autumn in Berehove, a western Ukrainian centre for the country’s 100,000-strong Hungarian minority. Separately, Zelenskyy’s deputy chief of staff, Ihor Zhovkva, confirmed that the president was considering an invitation to Budapest for commemorations on 23 October marking the 70th anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 revolution.
