Hungary ready to allow Ukrainian grain transit to Western Europe, prime minister says
"If it just passes through the country, then obviously there is no obstacle to it," Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said.
Hungary has pledged to permit Ukrainian grain shipments to pass through its territory and reach Western European nations, according to Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The commitment came after President Volodymyr Zelensky made a request during an EU summit in Brussels on October 16, as Kyiv attempted to obtain European backing amidst a strained relationship with the U.S. The Ukrainian leader expressed concern that current grain shipments across the Black Sea were hindered by Russian attacks, urging neighboring countries such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary to permit Ukrainian grain to transit through their lands to Western countries, similar to the initial support provided during the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion.
In their first bilateral meeting, Zelensky conveyed to Magyar that transporting Ukrainian grain in sealed rail cars would significantly aid the process. Magyar affirmed that if the grain merely passes through the country, there would be no obstacles to its transit. He further noted that an established transit procedure was in place three to four years ago but was subsequently discontinued under the previous government led by Viktor Orban.
During this time, Hungary had imposed a state of emergency and enacted a ban on Ukrainian agricultural products, factors that had complicated relations with other European nations. Poland, in particular, has blocked advancements in Ukraine's EU membership talks due to apprehensions that Ukraine's accession could negatively impact Polish farmers.
The meeting between Zelensky and Magyar occurred the same week that President Zelensky signed a law concerning the educational rights of Ukraine's national minorities—a move Hungary had previously requested before proceeding with Kyiv's EU accession talks. Magyar remarked that the adoption of the minority education law, coupled with its immediate implementation, represented a step towards restoring mutual trust between the two nations.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
