Hungary and Ukraine edge towards deal that could unlock EU talks
Kyiv will propose a new law on minority education rights, with a vote expected in October. Budapest has blocked EU accession talks until Ukraine adopts the laws agreed under an 11-point plan on Hungarians in Transcarpathia.
Hungary and Ukraine are nearing an agreement that could potentially open the door for EU talks between the two nations, smoothing out a long-standing dispute over the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine. Tensions escalated under former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who frequently clashed with Kyiv and hindered Ukraine's progress towards EU membership.
Since taking office in May, Péter Magyar, the current Hungarian Prime Minister, has been striving to mend relations. However, the issue of ethnic Hungarian rights in Ukraine's Transcarpathia region remains contentious.
In June, both countries agreed upon an 11-point plan aimed at bolstering minority rights. In response, Hungary permitted two negotiating clusters to initiate discussions within Ukraine's EU accession talks. Despite this, Hungary has been obstructive, demanding that Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, pass the legislation demanded under the deal.
The laws are expected to be enacted by the end of the year. Deputy Ukrainian Prime Minister Vsevolod Chsentsov confirmed that a bill on educational rights for national minorities will be presented to the Ukrainian parliament. Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán expressed her support for the development on social media, emphasizing the importance of tangible results for the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia.
This breakthrough comes after another recent escalation between the two governments. Magyar and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha engaged in a heated exchange over Zelenskyy's C8 regional development initiative, with Sybiha accusing Hungary of adopting Orbán's approach after Magyar claimed that Hungary had been included against its will.
A bill addressing language and cultural rights is scheduled to be presented to the Verkhovna Rada later in October. While Ukrainian media report that experts from both nations have been holding intensive discussions and have reached an agreement on the parts of the 11-point plan that Ukraine can implement. According to Dániel Hegedűs, deputy director of the Institut für Europäische Politik, this move could help reverse the recent negative trends in bilateral relations, although the legislation's passage could still face challenges due to the absence of stable majorities in the Verkhovna Rada.
He noted that passing the legislation in October represents a significant challenge and a crucial test for Ukraine's administration in regaining control over strategically important issues related to the country's EU integration.
Hungarian public opinion further complicates the situation. Conservative voters in Hungary, who have historically been hostile toward Ukraine under Orbán's rule, may be supportive of closer ties with Kyiv if it means protecting ethnic Hungarians abroad – a cause that resonates with conservative supporters. If Ukraine successfully passes the minority package, Hungary may lift its veto on opening additional chapters in Kyiv's EU accession talks.
However, it remains uncertain whether the approval of the law will result in Hungary's full support for opening all negotiation clusters or just some of them. If the minority law is passed and Hungary provides its backing for opening all negotiation clusters, it could signify a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries and make it increasingly difficult for Hungary to maintain its blockade in European political circles.
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