Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar welcomed the political agreement between Hungary and Ukraine to expand the rights of the Hungarian minority in the Transcarpathian region. This came after his one-on-one meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the European Union summit in Brussels.
Madyar described the adoption of the law on education of minorities by the Ukrainian parliament and the start of its implementation as the first step towards restoring mutual trust.
„We saw the adoption by the Ukrainian parliament of the law on education of minorities and the immediate start of its implementation as the first step towards rebuilding mutual trust,“ wrote Madyar.He also thanked the Ukrainian parliament for the resolution of September, which recognized crimes against Hungarians in the Transcarpathian region, committed through forced labor and mass deportations between 1944 and 1946.
Talks to continue at ministerial level
According to Madyar, he and Zelensky agreed that the negotiations continue at ministerial level, with special attention to the situation of minorities in both countries. They also discussed building a foundation for future political and economic relations between Hungary and Ukraine.
“President Zelensky and I agreed to continue the negotiations at ministerial level with a special focus on improving the situation of minorities in both countries“, the Hungarian Prime Minister said.
Magyar also expressed support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. He stated that Hungary is ready to use all possible diplomatic means to achieve the earliest possible ceasefire and lasting peace.
Zelensky: Our positions are converging
After the meeting, Zelensky said that relations between Kiev and Budapest are progressing and that the positions of the two countries are converging. Among the topics discussed were bilateral relations, economic cooperation and logistics.
When asked whether the meeting marks the beginning of a new chapter in relations between Hungary and Ukraine, the Ukrainian president pointed out that more important than who will visit the neighboring country first is the rapprochement between the two countries.
“This is important for both countries“, Zelensky said.The Ukrainian president also thanked Hungary for its support for the opening of two clusters in the negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the European Union. He added that he had nothing against visiting Budapest.
Sources: bta.bg, eurointegration.com.ua, straitstimes.com