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Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar held his first bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the European Council summit, following months of negotiations over when and where the two leaders would meet.
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The highly symbolic encounter marks a step towards normalising relations between Kyiv and Budapest after years of tension.
Under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary portrayed Ukraine as a security threat, while Orbán fiercely opposed Kyiv’s bid to join the EU.
Following his Tisza Party’s election victory, Magyar pledged a more pragmatic approach and sought to repair relations with Ukraine. However, his government has continued to insist that Kyiv fulfil its commitments on minority rights before further progress towards EU membership can be made.
On Monday, Ukraine’s parliament approved the new legislation, which Zelenskyy subsequently signed into law. The following day, the EU opened negotiations on two additional accession clusters after Hungary dropped its objections, bringing the total to four out of six.
“As a first step towards restoring mutual trust, we assessed that the Parliament of Ukraine adopted the law on minority education based on the agreement, and that the Ukrainian side immediately began its implementation” Magyar said after the meeting in a social media statement.
According to the Hungarian PM, further talks are expected between the two government on ministerial level.
“I assured the Ukrainian President of my full solidarity with the inhuman Russian aggression against her country that has been going on for almost five years” Magyar said.
Zelenskyy also released a statement on social media, where he thanked the Hungarian PM for the solidarity with Ukraine and for the opening of two negotiating chapters in their EU accession process.
“We are working to open the remaining two by the end of the year. We discussed the diplomatic situation and efforts to end Russia’s war. I am grateful for his solidarity with Ukraine and our people, and for his readiness to work together for peace,” Zelenskyy said in a post released on X.
“Ukraine always stands for good-neighborly relations and mutual strengthening. We agreed to resume joint work at various levels and to exchange visits,” the Ukrainian President added.
Further meeting planned
Magyar and Zelenskyy are set to meet again soon. Magyar said a meeting could take place in the autumn in Berehove, western Ukraine, a centre of the country’s 100,000-strong Hungarian minority.
Zelenskyy might also visit Budapest next week for the 70th anniversary commemoration of the 1956 revolution, a defining moment in Hungarian history. His deputy chief of staff, Ihor Zhovkva, confirmed in an exclusive interview with Euronews that the president had received an invitation and was considering the visit.
“We have received an invitation. On 23 October, an event will be held to mark the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution,” Zhovkva said when asked whether Zelenskyy had been invited to the Hungarian capital. “The President of Ukraine has received an invitation to attend. We shall see.”
On 23 October 1956, Hungarian students took to the streets to protest against Soviet occupation. The demonstrations quickly grew into a popular uprising, which the Red Army later crushed. A visit by Zelenskyy could also invite parallels with Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
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