Magyar demands wider rights for Hungarians in Ukraine before EU accession talks — agency

Coverage Overview

Incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has signaled that Hungary will not greenlight Ukraine's European Union accession talks until broader rights for the ethnic Hungarian minority in Ukraine are secured, according to a report by Bloomberg and relayed by TASS. The demand, delivered during a meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa, aligns at least partially with the position of his predecessor, Viktor Orban, who had long blocked EU financial aid and sanctions against Russia over similar grievances.

Magyar, whose Tisza party won a decisive victory in Hungary's April 12 elections, has also offered to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the long-running dispute, as reported by France 24. In a Facebook post, Magyar said he was initiating a meeting for early June, symbolically in Berehove, a city with a Hungarian majority, to help improve the situation of Hungarians in Transcarpathia.

"The purpose of the meeting is to help improve the situation of Hungarians in Transcarpathia and enable them to remain in their homeland," Magyar wrote, per France 24.

Key Claims

• Demands for minority rights: According to TASS, citing Bloomberg, Magyar demanded wider rights for the Hungarian minority in Ukraine before he approves the start of accession talks. These demands reportedly included access to education in their native language.

• Meeting with European Council President: Magyar met with Antonio Costa, where he put forward these demands, as reported by TASS. The tone of the meeting was described as less positive than his talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, though Magyar later called it useful and constructive.

• Election results: Magyar's party won the April 12 elections and secured more than two-thirds of the seats in the Hungarian parliament, according to TASS. He is set to be elected prime minister on May 9.

• Orban's legacy: The outgoing government of Viktor Orban had for years demanded that Kyiv restore the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia, warning it would otherwise block Ukraine's EU accession. Budapest has stated that ethnic Hungarians were deprived of rights after 2015, including the use of their native language in culture and education.

• Offer to meet Zelensky: France 24 reports that Magyar offered to meet Zelensky to address the feud over ethnic Hungarians, aiming to "open a new chapter in bilateral relations."

• Historical context: Relations between Hungary and Ukraine soured in 2017 when Kyiv adopted a law mandating Ukrainian as the main language for secondary education, as noted by France 24.

Perspectives

Hungarian government perspective: Magyar's demands, as outlined by TASS, are framed as a continuation of Hungary's long-standing position that ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia must regain full cultural, linguistic, administrative, and higher education rights. The offer to meet Zelensky is presented as a constructive step to resolve these issues and normalize relations.

Ukrainian and EU perspective: France 24's coverage highlights the historical friction and notes that Magyar acknowledged Hungary would be "a tough partner, but a partner" on Ukraine. TASS, citing Bloomberg, suggests that Magyar's tough stance could disappoint Kyiv and Brussels, which had hoped that Orban's departure would accelerate Ukraine's EU accession process.

Analytical perspective: The reports indicate that Magyar's position may not represent a radical shift from Orban's policy on Ukraine, despite his electoral promise to dismantle Orban's system. The demands for minority rights, partially aligning with Orban's, suggest continuity in Hungary's approach to Ukraine's EU bid.