Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs names condition for meeting of Hungarian and Ukrainian presidents

A long road lies before the meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Source: European Pravda, citing Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó at a briefing on 30 January, as reported by Reuters.

The day after the meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó stated that if Ukraine fulfils Hungary's conditions, it will create a "clean slate" in bilateral relations and allow for a high-level meeting.

Tamás Menczer, Hungarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, quoted by the Hungarian portal Hirado, also mentioned that the prime minister of Hungary and the president of Ukraine should meet when the relations enter a new phase. He mentioned that if a meeting date is set, it would signify that the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia has regained its rights.

Szijjártó also confirmed a shift in the Hungarian government's position, stating that Budapest is open to utilising the European Union budget for the proposed €50 billion aid package to Ukraine if it is subject to annual review and requires unanimity among EU member states.

The Ukrainian foreign minister, during a press conference following the talks with Szijjártó, mentioned that the discussions were frank but constructive.

He specifically mentioned that the Ukrainian side is geared towards a final resolution of the dispute with Hungary regarding the rights of national minorities. A special commission under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will present a "specific understanding" on this matter within 10 days.

In turn, Szijjártó stated that Budapest seeks to restore the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia that it had before 2015.

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