The Hungarian government has lifted restrictions on Ukrainian news outlets that were blocked by the previous administration in 2025, Minister for Social Relations and Culture Zoltán Tarr announced on Facebook.
According to Tarr, the decision was taken jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and reverses measures introduced by the former Fidesz government in response to actions taken by Ukraine against several Hungarian media outlets.
The previous government banned 12 Ukrainian online news portals after Ukrainian authorities restricted access to certain Hungarian publications. At the time, the Orbán administration argued that the move was a reciprocal response.
‘Independent journalism should not be confused with propaganda’
Explaining the decision, Tarr said there is a clear distinction between independent journalism and media organisations that spread Russian propaganda.
“Independent media must not be conflated with outlets disseminating Russian propaganda, either within Hungary or internationally,” the minister wrote.
He criticised the previous government’s approach, arguing that the blocking of Ukrainian media had contributed to political division rather than serving the public interest. According to Tarr, the current government’s objective is to build constructive relations with neighbouring countries while also improving conditions for ethnic Hungarian communities living beyond Hungary’s borders.
“Our task is to build good neighbourly relations, which also helps the situation of Hungarians living abroad. This is a common national cause,” he said.
Ukrainian community welcomed the move
Tarr said the decision followed consultations with Liliána Grexa, parliamentary spokesperson for Hungary’s Ukrainian national minority. According to the minister, Grexa initiated the proposal to lift the restrictions and stressed the importance of access to Ukrainian-language news for both members of the Ukrainian community in Hungary and refugees living in the country.
“She indicated that it means a great deal to the Ukrainian national minority community and to refugees living here that they can access news about their homeland in their mother tongue,” Tarr said.
An effort to improve relations
The announcement comes as the new Hungarian government seeks to improve relations with Ukraine and strengthen regional cooperation. Tarr argued that recent agreements reached with Kyiv had already delivered more progress in a matter of weeks than had been achieved during the previous administration’s 16 years in office.
Read our article about the September 2025 ban: Hungary blocks Ukrainian news outlets in a move of retaliation
