Hungary has reiterated its opposition to the advancement of Ukraine’s European Union accession talks, citing the ongoing violation of the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region.
In a statement following a phone conversation with Austrian politician Beate Meinl-Reisinger published on Facebook, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó emphasized that Ukraine has failed to restore minority rights that were stripped from the Hungarian community in 2015, despite repeated assurances.
“Hungary cannot support any progress in Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations until this unacceptable situation is resolved,” the official said, calling the continued denial of minority rights “totally contrary to shared European values and norms.”
The Hungarian government has consistently criticized Kyiv for educational and language laws it says disadvantage ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine. The issue has been a longstanding point of tension between the two nations and a recurring obstacle in Ukraine’s Western integration.
The conversation between the Hungarian and Austrian politicians also touched on broader cultural issues, including LGBTQ+ rights. The Hungarian side reaffirmed its position on prioritizing “the protection of children” and emphasized that Hungarian policy is shaped by domestic expectations rather than pressure from foreign governments.
Ukraine, which gained EU candidate status in 2022, has faced a series of political and legislative benchmarks as part of the accession process. While Brussels has acknowledged Ukraine’s progress on several reforms, unanimity among member states is required for accession talks to move forward.
So far, Hungarian officials have signaled no willingness to lift their veto without concrete changes from the Ukrainian side.
