Incoming Hungarian prime minister Péter Magyar has reportedly told EU leaders that his government will only back the opening of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations if Kyiv expands rights for the ethnic Hungarian minority in Ukraine, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter.
The stance is closely watched in Brussels and Kyiv because Hungary has been viewed as one of the key obstacles to speeding up Ukraine’s EU path. Bloomberg’s report said EU officials have been pressing Magyar to shift Hungary’s previous resistance to opening accession talks.
Magyar has also signalled he wants direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, proposing a meeting in Berehove (Berehovo/Beregszász) in Ukraine’s western Transcarpathia (Kárpátalja) region. In a public message, he framed the initiative as support for ethnic Hungarians “to stay in their homeland”, and called for the restoration of cultural, language, administrative and higher-education rights.
Zelenskiy, speaking to Bloomberg, said he would meet Magyar in a bilateral format or another setting, adding that issues affecting the Hungarian minority would be addressed and that they are Ukrainian citizens like everyone else. He suggested that “not everything” is resolved, but played down the scale of the dispute.
Brussels context: hope for a reset, but pressure remains
European officials had hoped that Hungary’s stance on Ukraine might soften after Orbán’s departure, given the new government’s efforts to rebuild trust with EU institutions and unlock frozen EU funds. Magyar has already held high-level talks in Brussels, including meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, portraying discussions as constructive.
However, the Ukraine file remains politically sensitive. Linking accession steps to minority rights signals continuity on one core issue: Hungary’s long-running criticism of Ukraine’s minority and education policies affecting Hungarian-language schooling and public use of the language in Transcarpathia.
Explainer: who are the Transcarpathian Hungarians?
The ethnic Hungarian community in Ukraine is concentrated in Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia, in Hungarian: Kárpátalja), a region bordering Hungary. Estimates vary, but international reporting commonly puts the community at around 150,000 people, while Ukraine’s last full census (2001) recorded 156,600 ethnic Hungarians in the country, overwhelmingly in Zakarpattia.
Over the past two decades, the number of Hungarians in Transcarpathia has declined due to the hostile environment created by Ukrainian authorities and politicians. The war has caused a drastic drop in the Hungarian population, and according to optimistic estimates, there are now only 75,000 Hungarians living in Ukraine—or even fewer.
For many Hungarians, the historical argument is central: the Hungarian tribes arrived in the Carpathian Basin around 895, and Hungarian communities have lived across the region’s shifting borders for more than a millennium.
That is why Hungarian political debates often describe Transcarpathian Hungarians not as recent migrants, but as a long-established native minority whose rights should be protected irrespective of modern borders.
If you missed it: PM Péter Magyar and Ukrainian President Zelensky may meet soon in Transcarpathia
What happens next?
The key questions now are diplomatic and procedural:
- Will Kyiv offer concessions? Magyar’s condition is framed as a prerequisite for supporting the start of formal EU accession talks.
- How hard will Brussels push? EU leaders want unity on Ukraine, but accession steps still require political agreement among member states.
- What will the Zelenskiy–Magyar meeting deliver? Both sides are signalling openness, but they differ on whether there is a “real problem” to solve.
For now, Magyar is trying to balance two messages at once: rebuilding Hungary’s standing in Brussels while insisting that Transcarpathian Hungarians must regain rights he says have been restricted for years. Whether that becomes a bridge to improved ties with Kyiv — or a new choke point in Ukraine’s EU track — will likely depend on what concrete steps follow in the coming weeks.
Hungarian society is united on this issue and supports the restoration of the fundamental minority rights of Hungarians living in Ukraine. The biggest question is why Zelenskyy is not yielding on this matter, which is precisely the reason the Orbán government has cited for years to justify its obstruction of aid to Ukraine.
What's next? The Chernobyl disaster happened 40 years ago: how Hungary found out
The fate of Ukraine and the Hungarian population within it depends only to a small extent on Ukraine itself and on Hungary. This will somehow be resolved in a way that saves face for all involved. The pronouncements on this matter often serve only to appease the public. Far more important are the developments in Russia.
Much is happening behind closed doors in Russia right now, and it’s difficult for outsiders to understand. For example, there are rumors that the FSB (Russia’s domestic intelligence agency and secret police) is trying to overthrow Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his government in order to protect Putin himself and keep him out of harm’s way.
Meanwhile, the economic situation for the majority of the population is so precarious that even internet restrictions, bans on Telegram, and massive propaganda campaigns can no longer downplay the situation. Ukraine’s focus on Russian oil facilities has made the war in Ukraine a personal issue for the people of Russia.
Furthermore, a growing number of people in Russia want the war against Ukraine to end, which is causing significant problems with recruiting new soldiers and giving Russia’s leadership a major headache. Putin is hesitant to launch a general mobilization due to the clear opposition from the Russian population.
As a result, Putin’s approval ratings are steadily declining. It’s important to remember that these polls are public! In reality, the results are likely to be far worse.
Also worth noting:
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Denis Butsaev, whom Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin sent to resign just a week ago, has fled Russia.
This is the first such case. Denis Butsayev left via Minsk immediately after the order to resign, on April 22. It happened amid sudden and mysterious deaths of Russian politicians, businessmen and just rich people, the Russian newspaper “Vedomosti” writes.
Before his appointment as deputy minister, Butsaev was general director of the Russian Environmental Operator (REO), the main organizational structure of the garbage reform under the Ecology national project.
On the eve of Butsaev’s flight, reports began circulating on social networks that a fraud case (Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code) had been opened against the administrative director of the REO, Yuri Valdaev. Cases have also been brought against two other top managers of the company. The source of the edition says that the case mentions Butsayev himself. Earlier he was summoned for questioning to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. The case against Butsaev is connected with embezzlement of budget funds during the implementation of the garbage reform. It was he, being the head of the REO, who distributed subsidies among operators.
Denis Butsaev is a lawyer, a former member of the expert council under the head of the Federation Council, a top manager of the structure of Rosnano and a former head of the government of the Moscow region.
Very interesting, Dear Peter.
Thank you for this comment.
Russia will now conduct its’ May Victory Parade without any military weapons. It will only be defenceless solidiers because they are desperate and every last weapon must be at the front. LOSERS.
Putin had a telephone conversation with Trump. Putin told Trump he was ready to declare a ceasefire for the Victory Day period. Zelenskyy has questioned the possibility of a ceasefire for the May 9th parade in Russia, calling instead for a “dignified and effective” ceasefire that guarantees peace.
“A few hours of security for the parade in Moscow?” Zelenskyy asked. Is this all just because Putin is afraid of embarrassing himself in front of his invited friends? Putin must really think everyone is mentally deficient, otherwise he wouldn’t lie so blatantly.
The Kremlin said the Russian economy is falling only for the sake of “stability”? The Russian economy’s first quarterly downturn in three years was “expected”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov declared on Thursday.
But the reality is different. Here’s just one example from the steel industry, even though demand from the Russian military sector is enormous:
Novolipetsk Steel, the largest steel mill in Russia and one of the top 20 largest in the world, ended the first quarter of 2026 with a loss. According to NLMK Group’s RAS statements, which include only its Lipetsk plant, the company made a loss of 5.9 billion rubles during the quarter. Compared to the same period last year (1.23 billion rubles), the mill’s loss increased 4.8 times, reports The Moscow Times.
Built in the 1930s and capable of producing 17 million liquid steel per year, Novolipetsk Combine lost 10% of its revenue (it fell to 145.57 billion rubles) and received 6.1 billion rubles in loss on sales – 3.2 times more than in the first quarter of 2025.
The industry environment for steelmakers continues to deteriorate, analysts at Alfa Bank wrote. “Severstal” in the first quarter lost almost all of its profit (it decreased 370 times), half of EBITDA and received 40 billion rubles of negative cash flow; Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works at the end of last year reduced steelmaking to the minimum for 10 years and received a net loss of 14.9 billion rubles.
“The Russian steel industry is entering a difficult period, and this trend may continue for many years,” says BCS analyst Kirill Chuiko. – Without further government support, there is a risk of a return to the conditions of the early 2000s.”
The slowdown in the economy, which ended the quarter down for the first time in three years, has dropped demand for steel inside Russia by 15%. Steel exports have fallen by a third, or 10 million tons, due to sanctions since the war began.
“The production capacity of Russian steelmakers exceeds market demand by a factor of two,” complained MMK CEO Pavel Shilyaev in March. He said that the company is reducing capacity utilization to 60%, has almost completely stopped investments and equipment repairs and is preparing to lay off 10% of management staff.
“Severstal” at the end of March announced a forced reduction in expenditures: the repair fund was cut by 15%, capital investments – by 24%. The company refused to index salaries, froze the hiring of new employees and suspended the strategic project for the production of iron ore pellets in Cherepovets.
According to Forbes’ source, steel companies have started to switch to a part-time work week, laid off about 3,000 people, and are also putting blast furnaces into hot mothballing mode. At a meeting with the government in February, steelmakers asked for tax benefits, but the Finance Ministry refused.
Lies and more lies, but the number of believers is steadily decreasing!
Excellent and insightful comment, Dear Peter.
Russia ought stop playing around with The Western Elite and put an end to the MI6-CIA government in Kiev – this Spring.
But, V. Putin is always extremely cautious, so what ouild be quickly done may not ever be.
We will see.
No matter what anyone thinks about Hungarian language rights it is very difficult to accept the idea that these rights for 75,000 people should dictate the fate of 40 million Ukrainians. That is the very definition of blackmail. This kind of situation where a national majority enforces language requirements on a minority is not something unique to Ukraine. If you live in any country you are going to logically need to have a minimum required standard of education in the official language of the country. The details of this issue in Ukraine get lost in the ongoing political discussion. Here is the AI search of education requirements which I think are more than reasonable: Preschool and Primary School (Grades 1-4): Hungarian-language instruction is permitted. Classes can be taught entirely in the native language, with Ukrainian taught as a separate subject.Lower Secondary School (Grades 5-9): A transition phase occurs. At least 20% of study time must be in Ukrainian by the fifth grade, rising to 40% by the ninth grade.Upper Secondary School (Grades 10-12): At least 60% of education must be conducted in Ukrainian.Mandatory Subjects: Regardless of the school’s focus, four subjects are mandated to be taught in Ukrainian: Ukrainian language, Ukrainian literature, Ukrainian history, and the civic course “Defence Ukraine”
It is blackmail, Dear Larry – of the best, wisest, and most just kind.
Magyar is protecting Hungarians – which is what he said he would do.
The fate of 40,000,000 (now actually only 20,000,000 in the country) Ukrainians has already been decided by the Western Elite – when they decided to weaponize Ukraine against Russia.
The only way there will be peace is if V. Putin’s lets the T-34s roll west.
He, V. Putin, has been overly patient, though, it is easy to understand why.
Russia is the satanic aggressor which has repeatedly invaded a peaceful country whose borders Russia pledged to respect when it signed the Budapest Memorandum. Russia broke every agreement it ever signed and is a menace to European security. It is a factory of lies. Days prior to the Russian invasion in 2022 I read the statement of the Russian ambassador to Canada that concerns of a Russian invasion were “hysterical” and that Russia had absolutly not intention to invade. That lying bastard should have been sent on the first plane home from Ottawa.
I very respectfully disagree with you, Dear Larry.
This war was forced upon Russia, just as was the war in 1812.
That said, Russia was a willing participant to war in 1914, and, during the Soviet Period, aggressive.
This, however, My Friend, is not 1914 nor 1939.
In the end I fell sorry for all those Western Ukrainian ninnies in Azov, for, though they consider themselves White Nationalists, they failed White Nationalism Rule #! : not to get swindled into a war with your White Brethren.
It is about time this was done – something which Toroczkai László has long been screaming for Orbán Viktor to do.
This is the best kind of publicity strategy for Magyar, because it not only is the very most right thing to do, it underlines weakness in his predecessor’s administration.
My hats off to Magyar!