Hungary and Ukraine Settle Minority Rights After 10 Years

Hungary and Ukraine just turned the page on years of hostile relations with a deal that benefits both countries.

New Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced an agreement last week that resolves a long dispute over the rights of ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine's Transcarpathia region. The deal clears the way for Hungary to support Ukraine's EU membership negotiations, something the previous government blocked for years.

Magyar said his team accomplished in three weeks what former Prime Minister Viktor Orban couldn't do in a decade. Orban, who lost his election in April, had called Ukraine an "evil empire" and spread false claims that Ukraine wanted to attack Hungary.

The agreement guarantees that ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia can use their language in schools and government offices. Bilingual signs will appear on streets and public buildings in areas where Hungarians make up more than 10% of the population. Small Hungarian-language schools will stay open even with few students, an important win since many Hungarians have left the region since Russia's invasion.

Laszlo Zubanics, who leads the Hungarian Democratic Federation in Ukraine, called it "a very important and truly historic step." He told reporters that the deal establishes regular meetings between Ukrainian and Hungarian officials to solve problems as they arise. The last time such a working group met was 2011.

About 80,000 ethnic Hungarians currently live in Transcarpathia, down significantly from before the war. The new rules should be fully implemented by the end of 2027.

The Ripple Effect

This deal does more than help one minority group. It removes a major obstacle to Ukraine joining the European Union, which requires members to protect minority rights. Hungary had been blocking Ukraine's EU negotiation process, but Magyar promised to lift that veto once Ukraine implements the agreement.

The shift also shows how quickly diplomatic relationships can improve with new leadership. Magyar criticized Russia and rejected his predecessor's anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, calling it lies meant to distract voters.

Magyar plans to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon, possibly in the border town of Berehove. After years of tension, the two neighbors are finally working together.