On 11 May, Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice announced that Hungary had postponed bilateral consultations initially scheduled for 12 May in western Ukraine’s Uzhhorod. The meeting was to mark the beginning of regular negotiations on the status and rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine. Ukrainian delegates had already arrived in Uzhhorod in anticipation of the consultations.
This comes as Hungary’s pro-Russian leadership holds a referendum on Ukraine’s EU membership. The vote, which began on 15 April 2025 and runs through May, is accompanied by anti-Ukraine and anti-EU campaigning. The Hungarian government has increasingly tied Ukraine’s EU accession to the treatment of ethnic Hungarians in Zakarpattia Oblast, demanding a so-called “restoration” of their rights—effectively amounting to a privilege for ethnic Hungarians to receive Ukrainian state-funded school education entirely in the Hungarian language.
Earlier agreements between the parties included plans to form expert groups to assess 11 recommendations issued by Hungary. Kyiv expected to present initial results during the now-postponed round.
Mutual expulsions follow spy accusations
On 9 May, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) publicly stated that it had uncovered a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast. According to the investigation, the network was collecting classified information on the region’s air and ground defense vulnerabilities.
For the first time, SBU exposes Hungarian intelligence agents who were spying against Ukraine
That same day, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the expulsion of two Ukrainian diplomats. He claimed they were ostensibly engaged in espionage activities under diplomatic cover. In response, Ukraine expelled two Hungarian diplomats from the country.
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