Hungary-Ukraine Talks: Progress in Restoring Hungarian Minority Rights

Encouraging steps have been taken towards restoring the mutual trust between Hungary and Ukraine, but there is still a long way to go and a lot of work will need to be done, and Hungary is ready to do it, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said yesterday after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak.

On the outcome of the talks, he said. “We are asking for the Hungarian national community in Transcarpathia to get their rights back that they already had in 2015.” In this regard, the foreign minister stated Hungary’s demands in eleven points, such as

clarifying the legal status of national minority schools, the re-establishment of the possibility of Hungarian-language matriculation exams, and the unrestricted use of the Hungarian language in higher education, public administration, and cultural life.

For these purposes, a bilateral inter-governmental committee will be set up to reach a formal agreement between the two foreign ministries.

Péter Szijjártó said that “(we) came here with the aim of rebuilding the atmosphere of trust in our bilateral relations. I think we can agree that we have taken encouraging steps in this direction.” He stressed that Hungary’s position has been consistent over the past two years, standing up for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity and opposing the war. He added that we must redouble our efforts to ensure that the people of Ukraine can finally live in peace.

Hungary is ready to continue its efforts in this direction in the future, as we know that saving human lives is only possible through peace.

Standing by his Ukrainian partners, he recalled that Hungary has carried out its largest humanitarian operation since 2022. More than a million refugees have arrived from the neighboring country and over 5,000 Ukrainian children are currently studying in Hungarian schools and receiving kindergarten care. Hungarian assistance has reached 500,000 families in 20 Ukrainian provinces, and Hungary remains committed to providing help to renovate and rebuild schools and medical facilities.

Infrastructural improvements such as the construction of two new border crossings and a bridge over the Tisza River, as well as the improvement of the railway and road border crossing at Beregsurány, have been announced. Mr. Szijjártó also requested from his colleague that the existing reliable oil transport routes be maintained and properly operated for Hungarian companies.

Finally, the foreign minister thanked the Governor of Transcarpathia, Viktor Mikita,

for the peaceful coexistence of the Hungarian and Ukrainian populations there.

He recalled that a few days after the outbreak of the war, he assured Governor Mikita that the Hungarian government was ready to consider and, if possible, fulfill any suggestions or requests for help he might have asked for. “This has been the case for the past two years and continues to be like this,” he concluded.

Via MTI; Featured Image: MTI / Nemes János