Behind the scenes: How the C8 summit and an oil deal exposed fragile Hungary-Ukraine ties

Diplomatic tensions between Hungary and Ukraine reached new heights following a dispute over Hungary's participation in a Ukrainian-led regional summit, known as the Carpathian Eight (C8). The summit aimed to strengthen investment and regional ties among eight neighboring countries, including Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary. However, Hungary did not attend the summit, represented only by its chargé d'affaires in Ukraine.

The conflict began when Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar of following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Viktor Orbán, who portrayed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a threat. Magyar denied the accusation, stating that a sovereign country's membership in an international cooperation framework cannot be established without prior consultation or consent.

The dispute also reignited a long-standing issue concerning the language and cultural rights of Ukraine's Hungarian minority, numbering around 100,000 people in the Transcarpathia region. Magyar expressed interest in attending the C8 only if there was progress on the minority issue, which he believed could be presented as a success at home.

In June, Hungary and Ukraine had agreed on an action plan to broaden minority rights and approved the opening of two negotiating chapters in Ukraine's EU accession talks. However, Hungary has since blocked the opening of further clusters and is demanding the adoption of relevant legislation by Ukraine's parliament, the Rada, by the end of the year.