Incoming Hungarian PM Magyar Seeks to Reset Hungary-Ukraine Relations in Transcarpathia Talks

Incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has proposed a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early June to discuss bilateral relations and the situation of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia, Magyar announced on Facebook on April 28.

Following a meeting in Budapest with Zoltán Babják, the mayor of Berehove (Beregszász)—a city in western Ukraine with a significant Hungarian population—the Prime Minister-elect discussed the impacts of the ongoing war and the future of the region’s Hungarian community.

“We agreed that it is in the interest of the Hungarians living in Transcarpathia to place the relations between Hungary and Ukraine on new foundations,” Magyar stated. To facilitate this, he proposed holding the prospective meeting with Zelenskyy symbolically in Berehove.

While addressing the longstanding friction between Kyiv and Budapest over minority language laws, Magyar suggested that resolving these matters would benefit both nations. He noted that the educational concessions implemented by the Ukrainian government in 2025 were “forward-looking, but not sufficient.”

“If we can settle these issues, we can certainly open a new chapter in Ukrainian-Hungarian bilateral relations,” the incoming Prime Minister stated. He added that reaching an agreement on cultural, administrative, and linguistic rights could also help ensure that “as many Transcarpathian Hungarians as possible return to their homeland after the end of the war.”

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Concluding his statement, Magyar encouraged the Ukrainian leadership to continue taking steps toward broader European values of equality, while confirming his readiness to travel to western Ukraine. “I hope that I can soon accept the kind invitation to Berehove. I am ready,” he wrote.

Magyar’s proposal for a June summit follows recent statements from Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously confirmed his readiness to meet with the new Hungarian leadership “at any moment.”

During a press briefing, Zelenskyy expressed hope that the incoming government would adopt a constructive stance toward Ukraine, noting that the two neighboring countries must live in peace. Zelenskyy also stated that the timing of any talks would depend on Magyar’s government formation and EU relations.

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