Hungary's Magyar wants Ukraine to fulfill Orbán’s 11 conditions regarding Zakarpattia
Photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar (Getty Images)
Details of Hungary’s demands
According to the Hungarian prime minister, official Budapest has already submitted a proposal to the Ukrainian side consisting of 11 specific points. These relate directly to language and cultural issues and are not entirely new for Kyiv.
"For us, it is important to have guarantees for the 100,000 Hungarians living in Ukraine — that they will be able to use their native language in schools, cultural activities, and public administration," said Péter Magyar.
He added that in Europe and worldwide, the right to use one’s language where it is dominant is a fundamental human right, regardless of whether it concerns a primary school student or a city mayor.
Prospects for negotiations
Magyar noted that the sides have already held several rounds of technical talks, and Budapest maintains active contact with the Ukrainian side.
The Hungarian government expects Ukraine to agree to the conditions and introduce the necessary changes to its legislation.
The next step after the technical meetings should be a bilateral meeting of foreign ministers.
"I would be very glad, after these technical meetings, to meet with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Hungarian-speaking areas of Ukraine and open a truly new chapter in our relations," the Hungarian prime minister said.
Budapest’s position and preparation for talks
Earlier, Magyar made a statement about the war in Ukraine, acknowledging that the country is a victim of an unprovoked attack and has the full right to defend its territorial integrity.
He emphasized that the first step toward ending the conflict should be a long-term ceasefire followed by a stable peace with international security guarantees.
Meanwhile, Kyiv and Budapest are actively working to improve bilateral relations and plan to open a "new page" in their shared history.
In particular, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported that the Ukrainian side has already signaled readiness to hold official high-level contacts with Hungary.
For his part, Magyar expressed hope for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and suggested a possible venue.
The Hungarian government chief proposed organizing talks in Berehove, in Zakarpattia region, to personally discuss with the Ukrainian leader the issue of ensuring language and other rights of the Hungarian minority in the region.
