Every country, including Ukraine, has the right and obligation to defend its territorial integrity and independence, but Hungary expects the Hungarian minority in Ukraine to be granted basic rights before a new phase in relations between the two countries can begin, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated today. He added that this is also Budapest’s key condition for the start of accession negotiations between the European Union and Ukraine.
“We have a Hungarian minority living in Ukraine and they do not have basic rights. In Central Europe in 2026! We are talking about the right to language, culture, and administrative autonomy. More than 100,000 Hungarians live in Zakarpattia without basic human rights,” the Hungarian Prime Minister said in an interview with Rzeczpospolita.
As he emphasised, the Hungarian government is nevertheless prepared to open a new chapter in relations with Ukraine, but stressed that before that can happen, the Hungarian minority in Ukraine must be granted “basic rights.”
“We have agreed with the Ukrainians to begin talks on this at a technical level. Negotiations have started and we will see how they go. If they produce results, we will negotiate at a higher level. If those talks are also successful, I will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in one of the cities of Zakarpattia to open a new phase in our relations,” he explained.
When asked whether this is Hungary’s condition for agreeing to the opening of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine, Magyar answered affirmatively, stressing that it is “a condition without which it cannot be done.”
“The first chapter of accession negotiations is precisely about the rule of law and democracy. If someone wants to join the European club, they must respect these rights. It is neither difficult nor complicated,” the Hungarian Prime Minister concluded.
Hungarians in Ukraine are the fifth largest national minority in the country, numbering between 75,000 and 85,000 today. The majority of them live in the Zakarpattia region in the far west of the country, along the border with Hungary.
