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Ukraine, Hungary Open “New Page” in Relations and Unlock Two EU Negotiating Clusters
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Ukraine and Hungary have opened what Kyiv called a “new page” in bilateral relations after a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry reported on October 16.
The talks unlocked two negotiating clusters in Ukraine’s EU accession process and marked a significant step toward normalizing bilateral ties.
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The ministry described the meeting as a significant step toward normalizing Ukrainian-Hungarian relations. Kyiv’s next priority is to open the remaining negotiating clusters by the end of the year.
“Today we have truly opened a new page. This is a reset across all tracks: political, economic, humanitarian, and others,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the talks confirmed both countries’ readiness to expand cooperation while respecting each side’s national interests.
“This is how quiet and effective diplomacy works — for the sake of the national interest, not headlines,” Sybiha added.
The two governments plan to develop economic and trade ties, border infrastructure, business contacts, and people-to-people cooperation, the ministry reported.
“Normalizing relations benefits both countries. Ukraine’s European future will be a guarantee of security for Ukraine. And Ukraine’s accession to the EU will guarantee prosperity and development for the Hungarian national minority,” Sybiha stated.
After the leaders’ meeting in Brussels, Sybiha held talks with Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán. The two sides reviewed progress and coordinated further steps to implement the agreements reached by Zelenskyy and Magyar.
The Foreign Ministry also pointed to renewed parliamentary contacts. On October 15, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk met Hungarian parliament speaker Ágnes Forstoffer in Rome, where the two sides agreed to restart interparliamentary cooperation, including meetings of their friendship group.
The latest dialogue comes ahead of the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Hungary and the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
Sybiha linked that history to Ukraine’s current resistance to Russia, describing both as struggles against domination from Moscow.
“By normalizing Ukrainian-Hungarian relations, we are restoring justice, normal dialogue, and cooperation for the sake of a free and peaceful Europe,” he stated.
Ukraine will continue developing relations with Hungary through what the ministry described as mutual respect, constructive dialogue, and a shared commitment to a free, secure, and peaceful Europe.
The meeting comes as the EU prepares for the next stage of Ukraine’s accession process. Earlier on October 16, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the bloc aims to open Ukraine’s final two negotiating clusters by the end of 2026, after Kyiv completed the screening process and began opening accession chapters earlier this year.
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