What lies behind Magyar's demands towards Ukraine and how Zelensky can reach an agreement with him

Relations between Ukraine and Hungary are awaiting a reset, which is expected to take place following a meeting between the two countries’ leaders. Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar, has stated this, and it fully aligns with Kyiv’s position.

But Magyar has made other statements that have alarmed many people, raising questions about whether there really are grounds for such optimism.

The new Hungarian leader has also made a number of critical remarks about Ukraine’s policy regarding the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia). Moreover, in a breach of diplomatic protocol, he has "initiated" a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berehove, leading some to speculate whether this could imply that he considers the city to be Hungarian territory.

European Pravda has reconstructed the sequence of events that took place before and after this much-talked-about statement, and we can say with confidence: there is no cause for alarm.

Read more in the article by Sergiy Sydorenko, European Pravda's editor: Will Péter Magyar be another Orbán? Interpreting Hungary's new stance on Ukraine. 

Despite Magyar’s aggressive rhetoric, this particular statement of his is positive for Ukraine. However, as is often the case in Hungarian politics, a lot was being said "between the lines".

The new Hungarian leader published his first extensive post on Ukraine after meeting with the mayor of Berehove, Zoltán Babják, who travelled to Budapest specifically for the meeting.

The main message is: the Ukrainian-Hungarian conflict of the Orbán era must end.

Magyar’s list of demands gives further reason for optimism. The expectations of Ukraine on the list do not pose any real problems, and the most problematic part of Viktor Orbán's demands has been removed.

Back in January 2024, Hungary’s then foreign minister Péter Szijjártó (who is now known to have followed instructions from his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov) handed Ukraine a list of 11 demands.

Some of them can realistically be resolved and would benefit Ukrainian citizens of Hungarian origin.

But other points were totally unacceptable from the outset. They had nothing to do with language or education rights, and it’s widely believed they were included simply to provoke a refusal from Ukraine and shift the blame onto Kyiv.

For example, Orbán’s government demanded that Ukraine change its electoral system and guarantee representation for Hungarians in parliament. This would require amendments to the Constitution and a nationwide referendum – effectively impossible even after the war is over.

For Péter Magyar, caring about Hungarians abroad is not political opportunism, but part of his convictions and ideology. Because Hungary’s complex history has left large parts of the Hungarian people outside its borders, this is a widespread view, especially among politicians.

We’ve mentioned how significant it is that the mayor of Berehove, Zoltán Babják, was the one who travelled to Budapest to meet Péter Magyar. At the same time, Magyar has distanced himself from Orbán’s allies in Transcarpathia.

Ukraine has a proposal for Budapest that primarily benefits the Hungarian community in Zakarpattia. The community itself has also let Magyar know that it is finally time to reconcile with Ukraine.

Ultimately, the new Hungarian leader will have to take Brussels' position into account. So the statements about resetting the relationship have solid grounds.

Given that Ukraine is currently the number one issue for the EU, Brussels expects Magyar to adjust Hungary’s Ukraine policy and is sending fairly clear signals to that effect.

Ultimately, there is every reason to expect that this shift in policy will become visible in practice.